Bleacher Report - Articles by Johnny D

Top Ten Ways To Help the Bears

Johnny D — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 11:44:33 -0500

It’s great to be a fan of a franchise with such a great tradition, but every now and then even something with great tradition needs some help. Bears fans are frustrated. We're tired! This season started with such high hopes and now we feel like next year is so far away. Only adding to our misery is that our last playoff trip is even farther away. It is time for some drastic changes. And when I say it is time, I mean right away! McCaskey family, you need us right now. Here are some recommendations from a lifelong Bears fan.

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Grossman's Father Knows Best

Johnny D — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:54:11 -0500

Recently Rex Grossman made headlines again in Chicago. It seemed just like old times. The bears were under .500. They had a quarterback that was giving the ball away like he was handing out Christmas gifts at an orphanage.

But there was something different. Rex wasn’t the one throwing the picks. Grossman was hundreds of miles away from Soldier Field. It was another Mr. Grossman creating the headlines for his son in Chicago.

Rex Grossman’s father was implicating the Chicago Bears front office as a failure.

Guess what? He was completely right!

Remember when Rex was the savior of the franchise? It was an exciting time for the Bears. They had their gunslinger quarterback that could change the game with a single throw.

Hey, Bears fans, does this sound familiar? 3227 yards 18 TD’s and 13 Interceptions (decent yet not spectacular) And then of course we all remember the following year watching the misery of a QB throwing 32% more interceptions than touchdowns.

You watched it Bears Fans. I know what you might be thinking. Rex had to go!!

Only these weren’t the numbers for the former Bears quarterback. They were the first two years (as a starter) of statistics for another quarterback in the NFC North. His name… Brett Favre.

Everyone is correct in saying that Brett Favre did a good job throughout his career of making his receivers better. But let me point this out to you. Before Rex… Bernard Berrian was merely a very fast receiver. Just a couple of years after Rex… he’s almost an afterthought. Only he has a hall of fame quarterback throwing him the ball now. But while he was being thrown the ball by Rex, he was earning a reputation as a big money player.

My thesis is this. Rex Grossman really was not the problem. In fact, I believe that he could have been a part of the solution.

A quarterback that can have as many games with a quarterback rating over 100 as Grossman did in one season can definitely play. Two seasons, even three seasons as a starter do not point to success or failure in a quarterback’s career.

All this points to three specific problems for the 2006 NFC Champs.

1. Bears fans may be the most impatient fans in the NFL.

It’s not completely their fault. There has not been a franchise quarterback since a guy named Sid Luckman. They are tired of the same old problem at quarterback. The fans there do create a pressure cooker for a quarterback that is enormous. And the desire to have a winning franchise causes the panic meter to go from zero to 60 in 2 interceptions.

2. There are severe problems in the front office. I don’t need to list all the first round busts who have walked through Halas Hall. Their ineptitude comes to a head more recently with the Jay Cutler move.

Getting Cutler was not the problem, but why would you throw away all of those draft picks on a quarterback when your nucleus is getting older and older. Say what you will about the Patriots, but they know when to do business. Trading an aging Richard Seymour while he still had great trade value was a stroke of genius.

I recommended trading a beloved, yet aging and injury prone Brian Urlacher in the deal to save some of those draft picks. It would have been nice to have been able to pick up a wide receiver or offensive lineman in this years draft. Instead Chicago is left with no draft picks AND no Brian Urlacher.

The front office problem was only magnified by the trade made with the Bucs. Why would you trade a second rounder for a former first round draft pick turned bust?

3. The coaching staff is making the wrong calls.

Guess what Lovie? You don't have to get off the bus running.

And what did you expect from an offensive coordinator who gets fired from the University of Illinois? Some good college coaches fail as an NFL coach (see Dave Wannstedt at Pittsburgh this year), but watching a struggling college coach get a gig with a storied NFL team is a little confusing.

And defensive coordinator Bob Babich managed to take the fire right out of a dominate defense.

Why is it again that they let Ron Rivera go?

Rex, you are owed an apology. Instead of being cultivated, you were cut down. Rather than being allowed to grow, you were vilified. The gluttony of finger pointing was rightfully there. It was just pointed in the wrong direction.

In this case, your father really does know best.

And to the Bears loyal following, it’s time for Jerry and Lovie to ride off into the sunset before they ruin another career.

Well... We Tried: The Saga Of Soriano

Johnny D — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 02:16:34 -0400

It seemed like a great idea. Everyone in the Cub Kingdom was excited. Alfonso Soriano would be the missing piece to the puzzle.

He came at just the right time. No one was quite sure what Chicago could be like without their once beloved outfielder turned villain, Slammin' Sammy Sosa. Alfonso was powerful. He had speed. He was fun to watch. All the things we enjoyed during Sammy's tenure (prior to corked bats and steroid "revelations").

But as Mr. Harvey would say, "Now we know the rest of the story."

Everyone had seen how Soriano had a tendency to disappear during the postseason. Somehow, he always managed to hypnotize teams with that combination of speed and power. And did so with very lucrative results.

Let's be real though. Do you think Steinbrenner would have let the kid walk if he thought he would help the Yanks get a championship ring?

The Rangers grabbed him due to his extreme potential. And then the Nationals took their turn. Well, it seems no one had learned their lesson about Mr. Soriano.

Cub nation was desperate to overlook the high strikeout rate and let the dream go even further in thinking he would be the one to finally take them to the promised land.

But he's fooled yet another team. And now, the Cub brass must do the right thing and look a disheartened fan base in the eyes to say, "Well... we tried."

Granted, they did try. In fact they nearly broke the bank in doing so.

But the natives are growing restless in Chicago. You simply cannot give that kind of hope to a starving franchise only to let them see it fall apart so fast.

The front office in the Windy City must act quickly to keep fans from staging a coup. Trade Soriano now!

Get pitching for him! Get hitting for him! Get a plane ticket for him! But just get rid of him and then give fans something to get the bad taste out of their mouth!

No sports fan deserves as much frustration as Cubs fans have experienced. They've learned this lesson. Give them a solid contact hitter that knows how to take some pitches and walk a few times. I'm sure fans would give up the home-runs and all the glamour that comes with them for a real lead-off man.

Perhaps you could still use Soriano as bait and revive trade talks for Peavy. Maybe your new friendship with the Baltimore Orioles could even net you Brian Roberts.

Why not? Other teams have taken the Soriano bait before. All I know is that you can't continue to torture your fans like this.

Don't get discouraged. Everyone appreciates the effort. But it's time to try again.

Now Or Never For Illini?

Johnny D — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 23:53:03 -0400

The past few years have been great for Illini fans. Not that they have been all that impressive.

But if you are a fan of the orange and blue at least you have had something to cheer about for the past three or four years.

We are all used to getting excited about mediocrity. Remember the years with Simeon Rice and Kevin Hardy? Not a great team but at least we had something to cheer about (the NFL draft).

Then there was the Rose Bowl. I know everyone had at least 15 reasons why a game with a final score of 49-17 really was a close game. Dropped balls! Untimely fumbles! Bad calls!

No one can get excited about things like this like a University of Illinois football fan can.

This year may be the year that U of I breaks through and proves to everyone that it's time to expect more!

If not this year, the good times may continue to be few and far between for the Illini.

Remember the talk about that recruit that could throw a football 80 yards in the air? He is a senior now. He has shown flashes of brilliance but has not quite lived up to his billing yet.

The Fighting Illini have what may be the best receiving corps in the country.

They have multiple impact players on defense.

In fact, Illinois football has probably never had this kind of talent in Champaign all at once. It's all because of superstar recruiter - Ron Zook!

At this point I refuse to sing the familiar chorus of "Ron Zook can't coach". I just don't know if that is true or not.

But can he finally turn the corner and take a team with only his recruits to higher ground? Or will the Illini again prove to its fan that any recent success is yet another aberration?

If you are a fan of the Illini, take heart. If nothing else, it will be a fun season to watch. The talent is there and we should give the Zooker the benefit of the doubt. At least for this season.

It has been great to get top talent in Champaign. And it is great to see a competitive team out there.

Bringing Illini football to respectability has earned Zook a special place in Illini history. It should even keep the calls for your resignation to a very dull roar for the foreseeable future. And justifiably so! But this has to be the year we see something special. Illini fans cannot come up with any more excuses.

Ron, if you are reading this, we have been waiting. You may stay as coach for years to come. But when it comes to the kind of success we crave it's now or never!

Chicago Bears: The Glass Is Half Full

Johnny D — Tue, 19 May 2009 01:29:41 -0400

As the excitement is bubbling over for Chicago Bears' fans, there are those who would seek to rain on their pre-planned Super Bowl championship parade. As soon as the Bears landed their first franchise quarterback, the murmuring began concerning the lack of a receiving corps.

Well, I'm here to say that the glass is half-full Chicago.

Don't let the negativity get you down. Here's why optimism should reign supreme in Chi-town.

Last year the Bears were 9-7 and this year the team remains, for the most part, intact. That's a good enough record to get you to the playoffs most years. If adding a pro-bowl quarterback to that core group and revamping the offensive line with a solid group of veterans doesn't take you to the next level, I don't know what will.

So what are the critics talking about? They are talking about a group of receivers in Denver that helped make Jay Cutler great.

Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal were a great duo last year, but let's take a closer look at the situation. People talking about the lack of receivers in Chicago affecting Cutler negatively are blinded by their own pessimism.

Remember all the great things written about Marshall before he played in the NFL? And then all the articles that talked about Royal being a future NFL star?

I don't either.

But somehow, the pessimists have declared that these receivers were one of the biggest reasons Cutler threw for more yards in a single season than the great John Elway did.

This writer has been excited from the day that Cutler was brought into the fold.

It's completely reasonable to think Cutler can pass for 350 receptions, 3800 yards, and 27 touchdowns.

For those that have forgotten the passing game last year, that's actually significantly better than what Orton and Grossman combined for last year and significantly lower than Cutler's numbers last year (except TDs).

Those extra numbers will be divided among and added to the the statistics of last year's Chicago Bears "miserable" receiving corps.

The truth is nobody knows what the future holds. Did the receivers hold Orton back? I don't know. All we know is Orton did not do well with these receivers and Cutler did well with his receivers in Denver.

Who made who great? No one can say for sure, but it is going to be fun finding out. This writer thinks that the cup is half-full this year. And the possibilities are endless.

Draft Analysis: A New Day

Johnny D — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 02:24:28 -0400

It is an anxious time for some NFL fans. In less that three weeks the immediate fate of their favorite teams will be determined.

This is the time of the year that general managers all over the country will prove their worth. Of course, we can all name general managers that have frustrated their fan base by selecting draft picks that we would be better served by simply remembering their illustrious college careers.

This April, some GM's will seal their fate as complete and utter failures. They will further frustrate their fans and sink their teams deeper into futility by wasting precious draft positions.

If you are a Chicago Bears fan, you can finally—for the first time in a long time—breathe a sigh of relief and say: "Not our Jerry Angelo."

It's true that Mr. Angelo has had his fair share of picking out great collegians who should have saved us all the heartache by skipping the NFL and running straight to employment at the local Walmart.

Jerry, you teased us with Rex. You blew it with Michael Haynes. But this year, you can do no wrong!

I used to spend this time of the year wondering how my beloved Chicago bears would trade down and add multiple draft picks that ultimately would not be huge difference makers while other teams selected immediate impact players.

In previous years, I have watched this franchise hold their draft position in the hopes of landing solid if not superstar talents like Cedric Benson or Cade McNown.

But this year's draft has a different, more successful look. There is no wondering who our first round pick will be. We already know. In fact we already have him—Jay Cutler!

There is not nearly the uncertainty there like there was back when Cade and Rex were the quarterbacks of the future. There is a genuine pro-bowl quarterback in town now.

That's not all Chicago. There's a young offensive tackle in the fold that has not had a chance to prove himself on the field yet. In essence, 2008 first round draft pick Chris Williams, will be a fresh face on the gridiron in the windy city in 2009.

Before the draft ever officially begins, the monsters of the midway have basically added two first round draft picks to last year's 9-7 team. Excited yet?

But wait, there is more. The addition of Cutler will make any offensive tools in Chicago shine brighter. Maybe it would be more accurate to say that Cutler will finally allow those tools to shine for the first time ever in the NFL.

How bright will they shine? Honestly, I don't know, but it will be something to see an athletic tight end like Greg Olsen catching passes in stride while he's speeding past a linebacker, or watching Hester eluding defenses while the football is shot to him like a bullet.

All of that will open things up for last years offensive bright spot—Matt Forte!

So now what? The 2009 draft is fast approaching and how does Chicago add to this year's offseason successes?

How about thinking long term?

It's great to have Orlando Pace on the team, but his days are numbered. In the second round, offensive line is the way to go. The team that gets off the bus running can shore up the O-line for the long term this year.

It only makes sense that while the team makes a run at success over the next two or three years, that they use the time that Pace, Kreutz, and Garza can buy to maintain a great line once they are gone.

By the time the line is refilled with young talent in three years, Cutler, Forte, Hester, and Olsen will all be in the prime of their careers.

You might think receiver is the way to go, but it's time to give those receiving prospects we have a chance to flourish with a stellar QB. And maybe, just maybe, Cutler can make good on his promises about Earl Bennett.

So with that, either offensive tackle Eben Britton or William Beatty should fit nicely as Chicago's first draft choice in round two. However, if centers Alex Mack or Max Unger are available—take them!

Guard Kraig Urbik would be a great pick up in the third round if he's available.

It will be interesting to see who is available in the fourth round. Wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi would be a great selection, but there is a good chance he'll be off the board in the third.

If he is not there, don't worry Bears fans. Stay calm and trust your GM. Jerry will do what he does best. Draft a defensive player in a later round.

Chris Clemons, the speedy free safety from Clemson, would be a great fourth round pick up.

Kenny McKinley, a wide receiver from South Carolina, would be a nice project at receiver in the fifth.

He's got decent speed. He's tough. And he was first team all SEC by the coaches and the AP. He also broke Sterling Sharpe's records for receptions and receiving yards in college.

Not much defense in this year's draft for Chicago, but they still have a solid core there. That D-line will be a different animal with Marinelli in charge, and Lovie will change the way the defense plays now that he is calling the shots.

Perhaps, that once feared D will finally have a reason to play with Cutler on the other side of the ball. Will that inspire them to the point that they are once again an elite defense? Let's wait and see.

But for now, Bears fans, be excited. To most of you this draft probably will not matter as much as those in the past or in the future because of what has already happened this year. Things are different in Chi-town right now.

This year's draft landed you the quarterback of your dreams. You'll finally find out what you have in last year's No. 1 pick, and you should see improvement at all positions offensively.

No pressure this year, Mr. Angelo. It's a new day at Soldier Field and you have bought yourself a few more new days as Chicago's GM.

Bye Bye Brian Urlacher?

Johnny D — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 02:48:39 -0400

Brian Urlacher has been a stalwart on the Bears' defense since the beginning of his career. He's one of the most physically gifted players in Chicago Bears history. Without Urlacher, the Chicago Bears' last Super Bowl would still be 1985.

An all too distant memory.

And yet again, it is Urlacher that may provide the ticket out of the mediocrity that this franchise has been mired in.

It has been an interesting offseason. But one of the most intriguing events in this year's NFL has been the mishandling of Jay Cutler. When the Denver Broncos brass made an all-time blunder with their franchise quarterback, Bears fans began salivating over the possibilities.

Chicago has been a city so desperate for a real quarterback that they have been willing to hang their hopes and dreams on the likes of Kyle Orton, Rex Grossman and sadly even players like Moses Moreno and Kordell "Slash" Stewart. Sad, isn't it?

At least they have been able to take pride from time to time in having a great defense led by a freak athlete named Brian Urlacher. He's meant more to this starving franchise than all four of the previously mentioned QB's combined.

And now, one last time, he may prove his worth to the franchise. A couple of years ago we began hearing how injuries were catching up to the backbone of the Bears defense.

A bad hamstring here, an arthritic back there, and superman was showing signs of mortality. A true Chicago fan will still support the star middle linebacker who single-handedly put the Monsters of the Midway back on the map.

And this Bears fan always will support Urlacher.

But I'm also smart enough to know that it is time to unload Brian Urlacher and his arthritic back. Even though he is still a great talent, the number of impact plays Urlacher makes has dwindled.

Sure, he had some sacks and interceptions in 2007, but most were not true game-changing, impact plays.

Here is the encouraging news, Bears fans. Even though he has just a few years of high productivity left, he still has great trade value. In five years, he'll be retired and remembered as one of the Bears' most loved players.

If he's not retired, his skills will be that of a mere mortal and not the man we love to watch today. So today we take a collective sigh and pronounce, "Bye bye Brian. Thanks for the memories. Thanks even more for bringing us Jay Cutler."

While Urlacher may be gone in five years, 13 years from now Cutler COULD still be a pro-bowl player like Favre, Warner, and Elway were later in their careers. The Bears must find a way to bring Cutler to the windy city.

Urlacher is the key.

So here is the package. Urlacher, Orton, a second, third, and fourth-round pick this year and a second-rounder next year for pro-bowl, franchise quarterback Jay Cutler.

It's never easy to say good-bye to someone who has done so much for your team, but at the risk of sounding harsh, business is business. Chicago finally gets a franchise QB!

Could it happen? As a lifelong Bears fan, I would like to break it down and present my case.

Here's the benefit for each team:

Chicago keeps their first round pick and uses that pick on a WR like Hayward-Bey. That gives them the vertical threat they need and it will help Hester develop as well. Now they have a decent tandem that a great QB like Cutler will make even better.

Adding a receiver in the draft and a franchise QB to a great RB tandem (Forte and Jones) and a very good TE tandem (Clark and Olsen) gives you a pretty good group of skill position players.

Plus, don't forget this, Bears fans: The Bears should have at least a couple supplemental picks in the draft (probably a third round pick). So they will still have a third rounder.

They would have to bring back versatile offensive lineman John St. Claire to make it work because they won't be able to draft an OL in round two in this scenario.

Urlacher will be missed, but there's no doubt Briggs is the man now in Chicago's linebacking corps. And if you are going to pay him the money you have promised, then put the defense on HIS shoulders now.

Denver would save face a bit by bringing in a star like Urlacher and a reliable (but not spectacular) QB in Orton. He could be a pleasant surprise. He has produced just fine when given the opportunity and has had a winning record in both seasons he's started in his career.

There is no doubt there will be a drop off at QB with Orton at the helm in Denver, but three added draft picks in this draft and one next year and an anchor at LB for the next few years is not a bad deal for the Broncos.

They have a few holes to fill and rounds one through four could be the way to do that.

If Denver's front office cannot mend the relationship with their star quarterback, they will have to do something to save face with the hoard of angry Broncos fans. Grabbing Urlacher is the way to do it.

Jerry Angelo, it is time to deal like you have never dealt before. It is time to prove your worth. Brian, thanks for the memories! Thanks for all you have done. I hope they retire your jersey in Chicago.

I'll always track your stats and watch you when I can. You took us to a Super Bowl! We marveled at your athleticism. And you just may bring us our first franchise quarterback...EVER!

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