Still in rehearsal on a new musical. Ain't nothing better if you ask me.
Two questions to get the conversation going...
1. Would you cut Cedric Benson? Why? Why not?
2. Who would you bring in to add depth to the position?
Me? Benson's already been cut in my mind. I'm happy to never see him in the navy and burnt again. I'm also looking seriously into Kevin Jones' health situation. If he's not going to hit the field until Week 6 or 7, aren't those ten games still worth it?
#2 Heywood Jublomey said . . .Jeff I admire your passion for what you do. I think we all need that in our professions. Musicals are not something I show interest in but maybe I'm not cultured. I commend you on your project and certainly wish you tremendous success in this endeavour.
I still dont know if I'd cut Ced. What have you got to lose. If he's suspened you get a good look at Forte early in the year which will be beneficial. Then maybe Ced steps in and makes a good #2 compliment or maybe Forte/Wolfe/AP are struggling and we need Ced. Who knows.
There are some names out there and at this point I'd take a shot on maybe any of em'. Alexander is intrigueing, so is Bell, Jones. I'd like to know if Ced is cut first, if so then yeah go get a guy or if he gets a lengthy suspension, then I'd go get a guy too.
June 9, 2008
#3 Spanish Bear said . . .Whether or not Benson actually does get cut, I don't think there's any question that he certainly deserves it.
June 9, 2008
#4 Anytime said . . .1) Yes, of course. Why? Because we don´t need a lame duck who is incapable of behave as an adult. I can´t stand the police photo with Benson smiling. Is he laughing at me?
2) No one. With 3 RB´s we have enough. If the line improves anyone of the 3 must average 4 yards or a little more. Furthermore, we need roster spots in other positions (OL and safety).
June 9, 2008
#5 jdawg said . . .Cut him. He has been given way too many chances . I believe he has been given more than Tank was. He has never been a positive force on this team on or off the field. Tank had one screw up and then got pulled over and was UNDER THE LEGAL LIMIT.
It is time to cut our losses with yet another Bears RB bust and see waht Forte has to offer. Backs are a dime a dozen and if one doesn't work just throw in a different one. Take the Packers for example. They had about a 10 starting backs last year and kept trying new ones until they found one that was successful.
CB RIP. Your dead to me.
Bring some more backs into camp and see what we can get. Not that I care for the guy but Alexander was an MVP just a few years ago and still may be a capable back. There is a ton of FA RB's who are just begging for a chance and I say we give it to them.June 9, 2008
#6 animal said . . .If he's guilty of the boating incident and the "dui" let Goodall punish him.
If he's guilty speeding in a construction zone make him drop and give you 20, then tell him to go run the fucking ball.
June 9, 2008
#7 jdawg said . . .Remember it is not just the two arrests.
-held out
-teammates instantly hated him
-clashed with TJ causing rift
-inability to get along helped cause TJ trade
-sucked last season
-the list goes on.
H is joining Enis and Salaam.June 9, 2008
#8 jdawg said . . .you don't cut him for those reasons because of the cap hit. Plus, I think your list is a little too black and white. There was a lot more to the TJ trade and it looks like he's got the support of his teammates for the boating incident.
June 9, 2008
#9 Phil from SATX said . . .it also would make sense, if you are going to cut him, to do it after Forte is signed, whose agent must be seeing dollar signs floating everywhere.
June 9, 2008
#10 Tenacious D said . . .You already know what I think, but for the record...
1) Cut him, and do so immediately after you have come to terms with his replacement.
2) Take a shot at Alexander. Interesting point from jdawg on the negotiating leverage of Forte if Ced were cut without replacement. So I would flip it, sign Alexander and announce that here's your new presumed #1 starter - after all, he's a seasoned vet and a former Pro Bowler and I believe an all-around good guy. That would remove any temporary negotiating leverage from Forte. Forte's gonna be the guy anyway, he was always gonna be the guy.
3) Everyone knows from this incident that Ced couldn't give two shits about playing football for the Bears. So why support him? This time it isn't about bad cops - it's about a guy who's behind the wheel at 4 a.m. with booze on his breath mere weeks after he got pulled off a boat. He could have been innocent as the day is long on that one - but yet he put himself in a position AGAIN mere weeks later. The Bears are a public entertainment organization and Cedric has now embarrassed them with two nasty news stories and arrests within weeks.
Of course you cut him! They're probably happy about it - now they have an easy decision! His future was hanging by a thread anyway - it doesn't take much to cut a thread and this was at least a machete if not a chain saw.
June 9, 2008
#11 JWilson said . . .Keep him for this year to avoid the $3.4 million cap hit. We need that money to lock up Harris, Hester, restructure Urlacher, etc.
Fine him and demote him to 3rd string to start camp. Goodell will suspend him for 2 games at some point. Pray like heck that Forte performs like we think he can. Then cut Ced loose at the end of the year after Forte is established.
I can't get excited about the street free agents. Alexander looked alot like Benson last season, only 10 years older. Kevin Jones blew out a knee late in the season and is no lock to play until maybe the second half, if then. Some backs may come back the next year after that injury, but they aren't the same until the season after that, if ever.
June 9, 2008
#12 Matt said . . .Sign Forte this week. Release Benson, or trade him for a draft pick. Let Cedric smile about that. He's not doing the team any good any ways. The players that backed him on the boating thing probably aren't going to on this deal.
Sign Alexander. He's still got talent, and he can teach Forte a thing or two. In fact this could be a good move. Not letting Benson spoil the new fruit in Forte. Worst thing the Bears can do is keep him on the team.
June 9, 2008
#13 JB said . . .I do not think Cedric will get cut based on Angelo's ego. Remember, JA picked him #4 overall to be the next Payton or Sayers of this organization. I think it's eating Angelo up that his prized pick has performed below par and can't get it right off the field. But, if JA decides to cut him now, it could look like one of the worst picks of all time. JA does not want to be defined by the Cedric Benson bust. Tank was a middle second round pick and at the time we cut him, our defense was so dominant and we thought so deep, that he seemed expendable. Our running back core right now can definitely not be considered deep. JA does not want to look like a dumb ass in evaluating football talent regardless of the off-field stuff. I do not think the Bears would take a chance on a player that is possibly washed-up like Alexander or someone who will miss at least a 1/3 of the season like Jones. You know Lovie wants to keep him with the other question mark running backs on the team.
June 9, 2008
#14 Payton was The Greatest said . . .I had this guy cut last year...why is he still on the roster?
June 9, 2008
#15 Matt said . . .Cut your losses and cut him. He's poison for the team.
June 9, 2008
#16 Tenacious D said . . .Maybe I'm wrong. Benson did not show up at OTAs and JA said in all likelihood there will be a statement made today regarding CB. Maybe Angelo is swallowing his ego and gonna think about what's best for the team first here.
June 9, 2008
#17 jdawg said . . .Matt, It does look like the Bears are going to cut him. Biggs at Sun-Times is reporting that Lovie sent him home from OTA's.
At mini-camp, they must have put him on a zero-tolerance short leash. At this point, the Bears don't care if he was over the limit or not. What pisses them off is that he was out at that time of night and admittedly had been drinking, even after agreeing to behave just a few weeks ago. Almost the exact same situation as Tank Johnson.
June 9, 2008
#18 Anytime said . . .I just read the Forte interview at the official site. If you keep in mind that the questions were asked by the Bears, probably Mayer, you can come to the conclusion that Benson is a short-timer.
June 9, 2008
#19 Anytime said . . .Bears send home Benson, later release troubled running back
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3434053June 9, 2008
#20 Max said . . .What we all have been waiting for!!!
June 9, 2008
#21 Max said . . .HE IS GONE!!!! Released today. Finally
June 9, 2008
#22 jdawg said . . .. . . man I hope this Forte kid is good
June 9, 2008
#23 I hate Cedric Benson said . . .well... that subject went fast.
next
June 9, 2008
#24 Pissed Off said . . .The team will save $820,000 on the cap by releasing him, but there will be a $2.575 million pro-ration that will count against the 2008 cap. There will be a $2.575 million cap charge for the Bears in 2009.
June 9, 2008
#25 Al In WI said . . .I'm not a math guy. I understand salary caps and stuff but can someone break down what Ceds cutting really means to the bottom line and how it will/wont affect this team. I think the numbers on this are pretty minimal are they not? Really has no effect?
Now I want to see if Jerry actually goes out and signs a proven vet like Alexander for insurance or if his ego is still too big and he rolls with an unproven rookie, an unproven 2nd year guy and AP.
June 9, 2008
#26 Shady McBears Fan said . . .We certainly need another running back. Wolfe is not an everydown player, and niether is AP as proved last year. I still like the idea of going after Jones and giving Jarrett Payton a chance to make the team. If anything it would clean the # 32 for a while.
Benson is a douche, I'll be suprised if he is in the leauge week one.June 9, 2008
#27 The Duke said . . .John Clayton said on AM1000 that the Bears will most likely be looking for outside help at the RB position now that Cedric Boozie Benson is out of Chicago (and yes he said "Boozie")
Option 1: Shaun Alexander
Will most likely end up taking the league minimum if he plays in '08, which means the Bears could pick him up for cheap - that is if the Bengals don't end up with him 1st. Clayton said that Alexander doesn't exactly fit the Bears running style, but fits their character profile to a T. Shaun's problem lately has been his health and a tendency to "dance" or "tip-toe" at the line of scrimmage.
Option 2: Kevin Jones (my choice)
Released in March after four seasons with the Lions, has scheduled a workout June 28 for NFL teams, which should include the Bears. He must show he is healthy enough to play. For the second consecutive season Jones is coming off a season-ending injury that required surgery (left foot, 2006; right knee ligament damage, 2007). Jones is training at the Saline Recreation Center under the guidance of Dr. D.S. Ping. "He's progressing excellent," Ping said this week. "He's doing very, very well." Jones' training regimen includes swimming, weights and running. "He's got full range of motion," Ping said. "Everything he's doing, he's doing well." (cbssportsline.com)
Option 3: Stick with AP, Forte and Wolfe.
Option 4: Travis Henry? Uh. I don't think so. Not gonna happen.
Moral of the story: The Bears just got better today by dropping Benson like a 3 ft. putt.
June 9, 2008
#28 jdawg said . . .Ladies and gentleman,
The starting RB for the 2008 Chicago Bears:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVK64TDNB_s
this could be fun...
June 9, 2008
#29 CURSE OF THE FRIDGE said . . .I guess the one thing I didn't consider is the fact that Lovie and JA told Benson not to do anything stupid. Whether or not he's guilty on all counts he definitely did something stupid.
Suck that it hits us in the pocket books.
I wonder if there's something in his contract that the Bears can claim he violated, like "you have to give us back half your signing bonus if you do something stupid after we told you twice not to."
June 9, 2008
#30 Shady said . . .I've done some research and I've come to believe ... in the Curse of the Fridge.
It wasn't William Perry's fault.
And far be it from me to say anything that would tarnish the legend of Da Coach.
But facts are facts.
It was Superbowl XX, the greatest season for any NFL team ever. We were crushing the Pats. All the was left to put an exclamation point on this incredible year -- and maybe more importantly the career of the best football player of all time -- was to hand the ball off to Walter Payton and let Sweetness cross the goaline and get his name in the Superbowl record books.
Instead, something went wrong. The Superbowl Kool-Aid went to Coach Ditka's head. He sent in 300-pound rookie defensive lineman Refigerator Perry to punch the ball in from the 1 yard-line. Number of TDs scored by William Perry: 1. Number of TDs scored by Walter Payton: 0. Have you ever seen a stat line more sad and depressing?
And that led to something we should have never seen in our lifetimes: Walter Payton pouting on the sideline instead of celebrating what should have been the crowning victory of his great career.
Whether you believe in Karma or Curses or the justice of a God who most certainly was a 34 Fan, facts are facts ...
The Curse of the Fridge has led to the drafting of one running back bust after another since that fateful day in January of 1986 when the Bears did Walter Payton wrong.
Once we were blessed in the draft when we landed the greatest running back ever to put on pads.
Since Superbowl XX , we've been cursed in the draft, landing nothing but garbage at the tailback position.
(I know you'll bring up Neal Anderson's name -- #27 overall in 1986; but my research shows that Walter Payton had not retired yet, and with a still slim chance that Sweetness might get back to the biggest game of all and score that elusive TD that rightfully belonged to him, the Curse of the Fridge had not yet kicked in. Or kicked off. Or began. Whatever curses do to get started. ... You might also bring up the fact that the Bears have had one decent running back rush for them since that incredibly sad day when Sweetness retired, namely Thomas Jones (quite good and Payton-esque in drive and work ethic), but my research shows that the Curse of the Fridge has only affected Bear RBs that came through the draft.)
The Evidence: Rashan Salaam -- 21st overall pick: BUST
Curtis Enis -- #5 overall pick: BUST
Cedric Benson -- # 4 overall pick: BUST
Need more evidence? Scan this list for a Pro-Bowler, a household name, or in most cases even a player that made the team! This is the sad, sorry list of players the Bears drafted at running back since The Curse kicked in:
Mark Green, Johnny Bailey (not bad at returns, but never an impact rb), James Rowe, Pat Chaffey, Darren Lewis, Salaam, Michael Hicks, Darnell Autry, Enis, Jim Finn, Anthony Thomas (had one decent season behind a monster O-line but a mediocre back that truly does belong on this list), Frank Murphy, Adrian Peterson (spare me! he was just as bad as Benson, if not worse, when given the chance to start last year), Brock Forsey, Garrett Wolfe.
I rest my case.June 9, 2008
#31 jdawg said . . .Cursed, eh?
You my friend must be a Cubs fan.
June 9, 2008
#32 said . . .don't know if anyone else caugh the interview with Benson's lawyer, but he basically said he had just heard from a couple prosecutors who reviewed the sobriety test tape that there was no case to be made against Benson. Of course, 10 minutes later he's released.
f'shizzle
June 9, 2008
#33 jdawg said . . .What is BENSON'S LAWYER going to say?
He was still:
- Out past curfew ... like way past curfew
- Drinking when he's supposed to be training
- An embarrassment to the BearsJune 9, 2008
#34 PolygonHell said . . .what's the curfew on your day off?
June 10, 2008
#35 zisk said . . .I'd have waited until the legal system had found him guilty or innocent. I just don't like the concept of cutting someone based on an accusation of something. I disliked cutting Tank for the same reason.
But I do understand the Bears position.
I do however have to ask, how is it that some teams like the Cowboys can have infastructure in place to help some of these players adjust their lifestyle and others like the Bears seem incapable of dealing with it.
As for 2 I have no real idea, the Raiders seem pretty flush at the position, so maybe there's a trade to be done there.
June 10, 2008
#36 Rancid said . . .Do the bears still get off the bus running? We have phenomenal pass catching tight ends (Olsen, Clark), dependable veterans (Booker, Davis) promising rookies (Bennett, Monk) and very fast young men with huge upside (Hester, Bradley) also Wolfe seems much better receiving than running and Peterson's biggest contribution was being the safe target during the blitz. If Grossman emerges like we all hope he does then our passing will dramatically outperform the ground game. I'm beginning to believe they drafted pass blocking Williams over run blocking Otah because they are starting to realize it too.
June 10, 2008
#37 RandomName said . . .I'm just happy, I'm gonna enjoy this for a bit before I think about how potentially screwed we might be.
June 10, 2008
#38 RandomName said . . .Yes I'd cut him.
Why? because he's the worse running back in the league.
Who to replace him? I'll take the money and and run a yard and fall down without anyone touching me. that ok?
June 10, 2008
#39 KentuckyBearsFan said . . .Wait I just read up there that he passed the sobriety test? I'm so confused now. Maybe liquor is what keeps him on his feet.
June 10, 2008
#40 Taylor said . . .Passed the sobriety test?
Does this mean CB got fired for having an ugly smile?
/you are not Tom Delay
June 10, 2008
#41 KentuckyBearsFan said . . .Please don't say curse and Bears in the same sentence. As a Cubs fan it just hurts to even hear that word with regard to my teams.
Please explain to me how this makes us a better team? I mean on the field. Yeah he's a jerk and a total disappointment on and off the field but handing the keys over to an unproven rookie or scrambling to find a veteran that has been cut based on performance or injury is not a good position to be in.
I'm excited about Forte but lets not make assumptions about him, especially with our history with running backs since Payton.
June 10, 2008
#42 Shady said . . .Has CB shown that he is a better running back (running and blocking) then Curtis Enis or R. Salaam, and if so, how much better is he than those non-Pro Bowlers?
25% better maybe?
The Bears have had maybe two decent running backs since Payton: Neal Anderson & Thomas Jones
(not Pro-Bowl, but not bad)
June 10, 2008
#43 Taylor said . . .Taylor,
Handing over the keys to anyone other than Benson is a smart move to make.
He's proven it on the field, in the car and on a boat.
Addition by subtraction here Taylor:
Sure the Bears lost their #1 RB today, but that #1 RB hadn't exactly earned that role. It was given to him. There are other players in this league who would have taken the role much more seriously and worked their asses off with the kind of opportunity Benson was given and probably would have accomplished much more.
I'm not saying it was a good thing that Cedric fucked up again, I'm saying now that he's gone it will provide other guys (including Forte and Wolfe) opportunity to make the most of their pro football careers.
In the NFL, nobody cares what you did in a Texas High-School or how many yds. you ran for as a longhorn. EVERYBODY is an ALL-STAR in the NFL and you have to earn respect of your fellow players, coaches and management - something Benson failed to accomplish.
I'm not saying this is a good position to be in if you're the Bears. Clearly they're...Gulp... re-building...
Bottom line is that today the Bears rid themselves of a bad player on-the-field with serious off-the-field issues who clearly doesn't "get" what success in the NFL is about.
What this "cap-hit" talk means is pretty much the Bears are going to be able to afford only the bottom-of-the-barrel RBs because they won't be able to afford anything else.
I think this news would be devastating if the bears actually had a GOOD offense, but the thing is they don't. A no-name or rookie RB could make as big of an impact as Cedric would have anyway, or maybe have an even bigger impact. Hell, having a RB who knows how to block and won't tackle themselves is an instant upgrade!
June 10, 2008
#44 animal said . . .My worry is that cutting Benson increases the chances of history repeating itself with Forte. He has much more leverage when it comes to his contract now, and it is never a good idea to give someone a job when it hasn't been earned.
Believe me, I am no fan of Benson. I was bitching on here when they named him #1 back a few weeks ago. I just want everyone on the team to have to compete for a job, and I would have liked to have seen what kind of fire Forte could have lit under Benson.June 10, 2008
#45 johnny heredia said . . .Forte won't start. Chicago does not do things that way. They will start AP or a vet they sign. Mark my words, mock me all you want, but that is the Bears way. Ill bet each and every one of you a 10 spot if you choose to take it right now that they start AP/free agent signee over Forte.
That said, we will all hope and pray Forte is the future and wait with bated breath with each carry, like we did with Ced in 06.June 10, 2008
#46 Shady said . . .Just found out that good dumbass Ced got waived from the bears today.
June 10, 2008
#47 shonbear said . . .Good points.
But the only fire Forte was going to light for Benson would have been at the end of the joint hanging outta Ced's mouth.
I agree Jerry needs to add more competition to the RB position both because rookies shouldn't be handed jobs (haha handed jobs...sorry) and because it's not right to put this kind of pressure on young players.
The Bears have put an ENORMOUS amount of pressure on Hester, Williams and now Forte. How these guys respond to the pressure will be a big factor in how the offense and the entire team will fare his season.
This team has more issues than a Maury Springer show.
June 10, 2008
#48 said . . .The Bears aren't cursed. Yes what they did to Sweetness was absolutely wrong, but everybody involved had great regret and they thought the'd have more time to rectify it beofre the end of the game. The Bears are no different than 80% of all the other teams in the league over the same period. There are only ever a few GREAT runningbacks that maintain longevity and continue to produce at a probowl level. In the time since Walter Payton, you might be hard pressed to mention 10 or 20 great ones in the whole league and even the ones that first come to mind weren't necesarrily great their whole career, but maybe for only short periods.
Here's some names off the top of my head (not in any particular order):
Marshal Faulk
Curtis Martin
Warrick Dunn
Tiki Barber
Ahman Green
Emmit Smith
Jerome Bettis
Thurman Thomas
Ladanian Tomlison
Hershal Walker
Ricky Watters
Barry Sanders
Fred Taylor
Marcus Allen
Priest Holmes (?? maybe)Anyway my point is that very few of these guys are not staying around long, so you hope that you can luck up on the next great one who will stay healthy and last as long as possible.
There have been a lot of great or good ones for 2-3 seasons (the jury is still out on the Vikes Adrian Petereson and some others ones out there). So let's hope that our Tulane prospect can be that one, or even Garrette Wolfe, who knows. After a season in the system maybe GW will surprise and RT can get the right set of plays for this guy to be successful. hink the preseason is going to say a lot.
Benson is a representative of the Bears and the NFL. The league and teams have no patience for continued bad press on silly behavior problems. They would obviously have more tolerance with locker room guys and guys that are performing well on the field. I guarantee they would not be releasing him if he was playing well.
I'm not ready to put the load on Forte Matt yet, I think he needs to be eased into this with the playbook and all, if he gets some spot play and looks good, increase his work load little by little. I kind of like Shaun Alexander for some vet help and potential. I'm hoping SA will want to prove to the NFL that he is better than what he's shown in the recent couple of years. I would be glad for him to prove it with the Bears.
The interest in Kevin Jones is only if it's a sure thing he will get past the injury, it would be nice if he got better and was playing well prior to the two Detroit games so maybe he could play well against his old teams.
Soon, soon, soon this will all play out during preseason...
June 10, 2008
#49 Curse of the Fridge said . . .jdawg asked, what time do I go to bed on my day off? ... Who cares? I don't get paid millions of dollars to play a sport. I haven't agreed with my boss to abide by a curfew.
June 10, 2008
#50 shonbear said . . .Shonebear said the Bears are just like 80% of the other teams in the leauge.
How could you possibly think this?
We had three shots at a franchise back with the #21, # 5, and #4 overall picks in the last decade. When the list the top 10 busts of all-time at running back, we have at least two of them, if not three. We're the laughing stock of the league when it comes to whiffing on running backs in specific and offensive skill players in general. We haven't had a franchise running back since Neal Anderson, with the possible exception of TJ but we let him go. Tell me one other franchise that has been so sad for so long at the running back position? You can't.
June 10, 2008
#51 Curse of the Fridge said . . .sure we have some memorable busts not to stop at Enis. McNown comes to mind too. Salaam seemed promising in the beginning, he was a Hiesman guy at least. Honestly, who knows if Benson doesn't do well somehwere else, he'll still be considered a bust for the Bears because he didn't ever really help.
We are probably renound for these lame picks mostly because the microscope is on on due to our steep history at RB with WP and GS in the bloodlines.
I'm not denying our busts, I'm still standing by the fact that few teams are picking great RB's anymore because they don't exist for long periods of time anymore.
Sure LT will probably last longer, but who right now is a starting RB for any team that has been the starting RB for 5 years or more and is consistently producing 1,000 or more yard seasons and not facing injuries or whatever other issues keep them from continuing to produce those kind of numbers.
32 teams, how many of them have marquee guys running the ball? Not many, there may be several that last a few years, but not like the days of guys hitting 7-10 years of constant greatness.
The way of the game seems to be favoring the couple of guys (comittee runners) taking the punishment throughout the year rather than one guy taking every snap primarily because of the abuse their bodies take.
So, it might be interesting to look at each of the years you are pointing to when we made those picks, who did we miss on that was a success at RB when we chose who we did. For instance,
1995 Rashaan Salaam #21
Curtis Martin #74
Terrell Davis # 196If Curtis Martin dropped to 74, nobody must have known how good he'd be. Terrell Davis was only good at Denver like everybody else who runs in their system. Then he got hurt.
1998 Curtis Enis #5
Fred Taylor #9
Ahman Green #76
Michael Pittman #95Can't say we missed on Green and Pittman, so did everybody else. Could definitely make an arguement for Fred Talor though.
2005 Cedric Benson #4
Marrion Barber #109
Carnell Williams #5
Frank Gore #65At the time everybody thought that Ced was going to be good and I'm talking about outside Chicago. Carnell Williams came out of the gate firing, but he's fissled so far, still time for him to become better.
Frank Gore, looked good too, but has also still not shown us whether he's going to be great overall yet. Still at 65, nobody knew at the time.
Marrion Barber, come on, he was the 109th pick again, nobody knew he'd be as good as he is.
Then on top of all this you have to look at the type of offenses and coordinators we've run over the years. Compare it to teams that have a running game every year. Denver, Jacksonville, Pittsburgh, Dallas, San Diego, St Louis, Kansas City or others at different times. Have we really had real running teams since the 80's. Sure we've had a couple years here and there, but not like the WP years, the Ditka years.
By the way, I think I should have mentioned Ricky Williams in the mix of those RB's that lasted awhile with great numbers, though he came later with other baggage.
Thoughts COTF?
June 10, 2008
#52 animal said . . .Neal Anderson was the last Bear running back to make the Pro Bowl in 1991.
Since that time, 30 of the 32 NFL teams have had at least one running back make the pro bowl. Who besides the Bears have had a pro bowl running back drought? The expansion Houston Texans, who have only had about five shots at it, and even though had Domanick Davis, who wasn't terrible.
The last time the Bears had a rusher in the Top 5 in the league? 1989, Neal Anderson. Since that time, 24 of the 32 NFL teams have had a Top 5 rusher.
Want a short list of some of the backs that have been better than the crap the Bears have put on the field in the last 20 years? Here's one from every team:
Buffalo: Thurman Thomas
Miami: Ricky Williams
Patriots: Corey Dillon
San Diego: Landanian Tomlinson
Minnesota: Adrian Peterson
Philadelphia: Ricky Watters
Pittsburg: Jerome Bettis
Cleveland: Jamaal Lewis
Kansas City: Larry Johnson
San Francisco: Garrison Hearst
NY Giants: Tikki Barber
St. Louis: Marshall Faulk
Seattle: Shaun Alexander
Washington: Clinton Portis
Carolina: Stephen Davis
Raiders: Marcus Allen
Denver: Terell Davis
Indianapolis: Edgerrin James
New England: Curtis Martin
Jets: Curtis Martin
Green Bay: Ahman Green
New Orleans: Duece McAlister
Tennessee: Eddie George
Dallas: Emmit Smith
Detroit: Barry Sanders
Atlanta: Jamaal Anderson
Jaguars: Fred Taylor
Buccaneers: Pittman
Texans: Dommanick Davis
Cardinals: Garrison Hearst
Bears: laughing stock of the leagueAdmittedly, the Cards have not been very good at the RB position over the last two decades, either, but that's the point ... we're supposed to be a franchise that gets off the bus running, and our only pride is in being as good at the Cardinals? Yuck.
You're starting to believe in the curse now, aren't you Shonebear?
June 10, 2008
#53 shonbear said . . .Basically we need a poll. Who will Da Bears sign- Alexander or Kevin Jones?
Folks seem to be leaning toward Jones. I think Alexander is a much more talented back, but who the hell knows at this point.June 10, 2008
#54 Max said . . .cotf,
I think you make my point (at least that's how I'm playing it). over 20 years of RB's and only 15 of them had any longevity in their career. I can't see the Pro-Bowl as the measuring stick for consisitent success in the running game. Yes, it could be a measuring stick for success in the running game for that team during that particular season, but not overall.
Now of those teams about only 7 went to a superbowl and won based on the consistent running of those you mentioned and those are all mostly longevity guys. Yes there are anomalies, one hit wonders if you will, but overall it just doesn't happen often.
It all has to come together, injuries, depth, the three phases, coaching or game planning, overall talent, a little luck. It's just that you look at the teams that are there like every season and look at the differences in the way they pick talent, coach, pay etc...
The truth is even with the few busts over the last few years, I'd say maybe since JA got there I've been pretty pleased comparatively with the other 15 years. The last several years we've been more competitive and more talented than since the great 80's years. Let's see if we can continue, maybe with a little luck (Paul McCartney) we'll see some continuation of good play and surprise some folks. It's getting harder and harder to believe that you could change out this many starters on offense and come out with a team that's going to play well on that side of the ball, hope that D and ST throws down this year so the offense can have time to get to know each other. They don't have enough time to get the kinks out in preseason.
June 10, 2008
#55 Max said . . .Marcus Robinson is retiring as a Bear.
I liked Marcus. Him and Booker were quite a combo before Robinson got hurt. I remember the game he got hurt in and the play. It was like week 4 against the Bengals. He caught a pass on the sideline and got tackled and his knee got all messed up and bent funny. It was the beginning of the end.
I like that he is retiring as a Bear. He was a good receiver for us.
June 10, 2008
#56 mikebdot said . . .And No to Kevin Jones. He will be back by week 6 or 7, and then probably hurt again by week 10 or 11. Plus he was a useless RB for the Lions. . . what makes you think he wont be as useless for us? So no Jones in my opinion.
June 10, 2008
#57 Phil from SATX said . . .cotf: What about that guy whose memory every seems to have sex with? Thomas Jones? Actually, I liked Anthony Thomas. He had two 1000 yard seasons, despite missing 3 and 4 games in those two seasons.
As for Benson, I love JA more and more each day:
"Those who fail to understand the importance of ‘team’ will not play for the Chicago Bears."
http://www.chicagobears.com/news/NewsStory.asp?story_id=4784
June 10, 2008
#58 JB said . . .The curse is very interesting stuff, good job COTF. I think that the Bears have made safe picks in each of those selections - weren't two of those guys Heisman winners (Salaam and Enis both I think) and certainly Ced was a strong Heisman contender. So why were they all busts? I don't know. We've had the discussion before about "motors" for running backs and other first round picks - Enis is now famous for being called a "con man" as he convinced coaches and managers that he had a huge heart and passion for the game - and it was a lie.
I think history will ultimately put Ced in the same category - a guy that conned everyone into thinking he had a passion for the game, when he didn't. He exploited his talent at the college level to get huge $$$ and it seems as soon as that money sunk hit the bank account and really sunk in to him, all pretenses were off. He really didn't like to play, didn't like the whole team comaraderie thing, didn't like football at the professional level at all. We'll see how this pans out for him - I'm going to guess that if he can only pull out a minimum contract or something from some team, he might even quit. Don't know how much of his $13.7MM or so he still has (call it $8-9MM after taxes). But I could totally see him calling it quits, given that the money is in the bank.
I'm just glad the whole thing is over. He's already apologized and admitted being stupid, so no point in worrying about whether he'll get the DUI or not. It almost seemed to be a "suicide by DUI" kind of thing - almost intentional, or maybe it was purposeful on some subterranean personal level. Maybe he just didn't feel like working this year, we know he didn't want to leave Austin where he is still lionized. My guess is he decides to take a year off and "ponder his options."
What to do next? It seems pretty clear to me - I think if Jones proves he is healthy, he'll be expensive with a bunch of teams vying for him. I really like the "minimum veteran" deal for Shaun, get him cheap, get his veteran leadership, mentoring and locker room skills, find out what he has left in the tank. Forte WILL be the guy, and my fervent hope is that he will be the guy to break the COWP. I don't buy that he can't be named the starter for Game 1 - it all depends how he looks in preseason. If he's killing it, he'll be the starter. How fast do you think Angelo wants to make up for the Benson bust? I think mighty fast.
How about Ft. Alexander? Battle stations!!!
The fight has begun!!!
June 10, 2008
#59 Pissed Off said . . .Oh happy days!!!
June 10, 2008
#60 Brian for Milwaukee said . . .I hate to admit but at this point my vote is for Alexander over Jones. I just couldnt beleive how young Alexander was, I thought he was about 5 years older than he is. I would also be OK with Travis Henry if he can pass the physical. This was very good for several years in Buffalo. Though the fact that he couldnt produce in Denver, where semmingly anyone can produce at RB is troubling.
If they dont pick up a RB soon, however, I see AP starting the year at RB. I dont know that they'd give it to a 2nd round pick or mabye Wolfe impresses in camp and starts. How dismal is this? I'm not going to get caught into the RB chatter regarding us being cursed but I see points from both sides, the pro-bowl RB stat was a little shocking but really TJ should have been a pro-bowler one of those years he was on the team (but due to other good talent in the NFC he wasnt elected) so I cant say the Pro Bowl is a good measuring stick. I also think that A-train was good for a couple, and he's still producing in Buffalo so he wasnt a bust persay.
June 10, 2008
#61 animal said . . .I cannot wait to see that crippling Bears offense next year:
Quarterback - A continuous joke since 1990
Runningback - Another first round bust ! ! Hah ! !
Receivers - Either Cut, Washed up or in Minnesota
Offensive line - A bunch of old guys and a few rookies
Tight End - Maybe the only promising position on offenseI project 3 and 13 for the coming season. Can't wait and as always - GO PACK ! ! !
PS - I haven't been here for a while and I forgot to tell you - nice draft - Ah-hahhhh ! !
June 10, 2008
#62 Gritty said . . .NOW can I call names?
June 10, 2008
#63 Da Bears-n-CT said . . .Glad he was cut, honestly. Now we can go after a real TOUGH guy:
http://grittyandclutch.blogspot.com/2008/06/shaun-alexander-avoids-hit-drives-into.html
June 11, 2008
I say don't just cut him. Run him out of town and gaurd the gate with flaming sword wielding psychologist.
It has been embarassing watching him go from little help to a lot of trouble. The last thing our offense needs is locker room trouble. No he is not the complete problem with our running game but he is no help either.
Yes look at Alexander and the other options. Angelo needs to get on top of this NOW and not let this contribute to the offensive queswtions we are going to have to deal with.
June 11, 2008
Here at DaBearsBlog, you are free to kill us or the Bears as you so wish. You are not free, however, to be an asshole. So if you spew racism or ill-meaning foul language (cursing about football is just fine) or anything of that ilk, your comments ain't gonna last long, jerk.