CrackerDog

There may be those looking at the give and take between Nfoligno and me thinking we hate each other. I suggest you read between the lines. Obviously Nfoligno is dumb as a box of rocks, but I think he and I both agree on one thing... We're just having fun. We'll need a sense of humor this season fellas. Let's always remember this is a sport, something we enjoy, something we really care about... But it ain't life. No matter what happens this year, let's try to keep it fun on this site.

He started a game for us at LB in 2006. Was it really far fewer snaps? Hell man, I'm trying to block out last year from my memories! I'd never cut a pure WR at this point if that WR looked to have potential to be a starter. We don't have that luxury either. Hester is just a hope at this point. And I'm with everyone else in hoping he's great. But again, see the next point... Of course. The next Tony Romo. Oh man, now you've done it. You just touched the third rail of being an internet Bears fan! You just cut down AP's status. He's the sacred cow of internet Bears fans everywhere. Except for Hanie, of course.

Most of Nfoligno's posts have that affect.

No way in hell we let Hanie go to take on this stiff Beck. Hanie's the next Tony Romo!!!!

LOL! OK Chief. BTW, I never said I didn't want him on the roster. I just said he hasn't proven he belongs there with this one performance against guys who'll be flipping burgers in a few weekends. But OK man, I defer to your great football knowledge and ability to spell "threw". He's the next Tony Romo!

1.) The "student" just said Ayanbadejo wasn't part of any defensive package. Obviously he was known for his role on ST but he was also a backup LB and actually had a start for the Bears. You need backup LB's on a team, no? NEXT! 2.) Saying Hester had 20 catches and that made him more productive than little miss priss Bradley ain't saying much. Didn't Bradley sprain her vaginal wall in the second game of the season? 3.) The staff sought to "expand his role" last year but the guy isn't smart enough to be a WR. So they say. Unless his extra money made him smarter, I still don't know how this will turn out. He's got all the physical gifts he needs. We'll see about the rest. 4.) There's a certain logic in saying any WR on this team is a waste of a roster spot given our QB cluster. 5.) I agree on AP. If he plays much RB for us this season, something went VERY wrong.

? (See! Without the providing your quote above, my use of the mighty giant question mark wouldn't be soooooo damn funny!)

Apples and oranges. We have to keep Hester, regardless. I'm not question it at all. I'm simply saying that we're also reserving a spot most teams don't for a specialist most don't carry. It eats up a spot. If he performs as well as our #5 WR, it doesn't. Once again, why I used the word "maybe". Get it now? Jesus... Can someone else take on the role of educating Nfoligno? I'm tired. (first time I've ever used a smiley face and thought it added something)

The question mark he supplied added a lot of value. Dummy.

Speaking of tools, what's the latest on Mike North? I hope the guy never works in Chicago again. Unless he's making hotdogs.

I'm not convinced yet he has what it takes to be a WR. Maybe he will, hence why I said maybe. So, we're using a spot for basically a ST specialist. Of course he provides value! Hell, he's the MVP of this team right now. I love him. But most teams don't have the luxury of having a return specialist and then can also carry a guy who belongs on IR.

Oh, we've seen our share of franchise saviors playing in the second halves of preseason games before... This won't be the last time, either. True. Although we may also be considering adding a vet from somewhere too. Our GM isn't incompetent. Probably doesn't help we're already eating one for Hester... Maybe.

The feeling is mutual. Hey, at least I'm not ignorant about using a tool provided on the web site to make communication more clear. Although, let's be honest, your incoherent babble probably couldn't be salvaged, regardless. Perhaps a "Dumb to English" dictionary would help...

LOL Unfortunately, the sky may indeed be falling.

I've been a Bears fan since the early 70's and I don't recall us ever running it effectively. Maybe we had a few successful ones during the Ditka era with Payton at RB. Our O Line then was capable. I agree with much of what NFO said. It's about selling it, having the touch and players to be able to produce. Also, I think the modern era makes success on this play even less likely because the LB's are so damn fast. I recall the Cowboys with Dorsett and the Packers with Levens ran it well. That's a 30 year time frame and I can only call out two teams known for it. I'm talking about the RB screen now. The WR screen is a different animal and we ran it all the time with Shoop as OC. Generally it was good for 1 yard and a cloud of dust. Again, not many teams have been effective with it either. It can be but you basically just hope the WR can break the first tackle and get into the secondary. It takes a WR with both speed and durability. Not a lot of guys out there fitting that bill.

You should've stopped there. Not out of the question? Hell yes, it is. If he doesn't do a THING between now and the start of the year, his wonderful half of football against the third string of the mighty Chiefs will be long forgotten. Most NFL execs would say we have too many preseason games and the players are unnecessarily exposed to injury. They put guys like him out there in the second half of joke games like this for a reason. And our being "QB starved" is no excuse for acting like we know dog shit about football. It's embarrassing. LOL. Yeah, they did. And since then what exactly has changed? And here I don't disagree and never did. The kid looks good. I like him. But when some here say "I'll turn in my Bears fan badge if they don't protect this kid" it makes me sick. I know there are reasons to get emotional about this team but please...

Whatever. It's a joke that fans get this worked up over a guy in this situation. All the "I condemn the staff if they don't keep Hanie off the practice squad" type stuff is precisely what I'm talking about. And it isn't just here, you see it on TV, read it in the papers and hear it all over the radio. Put this guy out there week one of the regular season against the Colts with Freeney breathing down his neck every down and then get back to me. Until then, he's an undrafted camp-fodder guy who had a good 1/2 of preseason football against the 3rd string of a terrible team. Those are the facts. And as for being satisfied with going to a Superbowl... I doubt we'd ever get there again if the coaches and GM were picked by windsock fans who get wood every time they see a QB perform well against highschool level talent.

100% correct. By the way, all this Hanie love, at this point in time, is borderline idiotic. Get over yourselves. He's played 1/2 of football against the third string of a horrible team. It's pathetic how fans clamor for a guy like this after he's shown so little. Connor is right, give him a few more games to prove if he even belongs here before you start trashing the coach and GM who got us to a Superbowl only two seasons ago. It's ridiculous. Further, just a point of order, just because ZZ says it, doesn't make it true. You girls have your panties firmly wedged up your coochies and you have no clue what the Bears will do. And you have no freaking idea if he'll get "snatched off the practice squad." He's a guy NOBODY drafted and he's got that whopping 30 minutes of NFL preseason experience. Oh yeah, I'm sure the Patriots are just chomping at the bit to get their opportunity to sign this guy to a 10 year, $100 million contract. Sheesh.

Went with my gut and kept Graham, Ward and Jennings. Turned out I got the 6th pick in the draft but since two guys ahead of me kept players that cost them their first picks, I actually have the 4th pick. LT will go to the first guy so there are only two picks aside from him ahead of me. The top ten players available after that, according to my current board and based on our rules and VBD: Brian Westbrook Payton Manning Marion Barber Reggie Wayne Tony Romo Terrell Owens Steven Jackson Frank Gore Drew Brees Larry Johnson Because of other keepers, I should get two of these guys. Not a bad start.

In our league we get to keep three keepers from our prior year roster. The cost of the keeper is whatever you used to pick the player in the previous year's draft. I have to make these selections tomorrow morning. Here are my options: Steven Jackson will cost me my first round pick. He's currently holding out. Plaxico Burress will cost me my fourth round pick. He's currently got leg issues and isn't happy with his contract. Ben Roethlisberger will cost me my 7th round pick. However, keeping him as my starter means I wouldn't even consider taking Manning, Romo or Brees who all look like they'll be available (not kept) in the random order draft process. QB is important in our league as the scoring favors them. Roeth was a stud for me last year but he still doesn't get much love. And if I'm sitting there in the tail end of the first round and Manning is staring me in the face and I've already committed to Roeth, I'll be pissed. Random order isn't set until after the keepers are announced. Earnest Graham, Hines Ward, Marc Bulger and/or Greg Jennings will cost me a 16th/15th/14th round pick (all acquired last year via free agency) depending on how many of them I keep. Each can be kept for my last remaining pick in the draft. I have other choices but they all make sense to release as their value is close to the pick value. I'm leaning toward keeping Graham, Ward and Jennings. Not sure on Jennings as Favre is now a Jet. I suppose I could keep Bulger since his cost is so low and he may pan out as a nice backup QB. Or I could stick with Roeth and give up the idea of having a fancy QB on my team. He's worth every bit of a 7th round pick. There are ten teams in the league and most owners know their shit. Thoughts?

As far as free sites go, I've always liked: http://www.fftoday.com/ Would I take their word as gospel? No. But they've got some nice features and are generally on the money.

I can't believe someone took Bulger with the 11th overall pick. Yikes. That guy will make it to the 10th round in my league. I like your team. I would've gone with LT with the #1 pick but I can see the logic you used. And if it's a keeper league, I'd have gone AP. Nice draft.

I suppose one possibility is we release the loser between Grossman and Orton. Keep Hanie and have Simms as our "Vet Backup." That's a reach in my mind but it wouldn't surprise me too much. Although, with our O Line troubles, maybe 4 QB's is wise.

http://www.profootballtalk.com/2008/08/10/...rankings-no-25/ He makes some good points but I don't think this reflects reality. We have a shot at the playoffs in my opinion. I guess we'll see...

OMG yeah. I thought he was terrible. He may not make the damn team. Sad to say but Jerry has a hell of a lot of misses in the early rounds of the drafts, doesn't he? And that is now a trend. I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt for a while but this can't continue. Drafting for need at LT this year was fine but when you do so and pick a guy known to be injured... you aren't really addressing the immediate need, are you? Continuing to whiff in the early rounds will be grounds for his termination. I still want him to succeed but this has got to end.