Bleacher Report - Articles by An'dre Triplett

Kyle Orton Is a Butter-Face

An'dre Triplett — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 04:40:57 -0400

I have been waiting to write this article as I have recently come out of a Chicago Bears depression caused by Sunday's loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Now that I have come back to reality, I will sound off on Mr. Kyle Orton.

How many bad throws, misreads, and three-and-out drives can a guy lead a team on? The answer is several, as we witnessed on Sunday.

I believe Kyle Orton is a "butter-face." He's like the guy or girl you see at a supermarket or on the street that has great "assets" but all the parts put together make them as unattractive as Jabba the Hut in Star Wars.

This guy is getting harder to watch by the week and we're only going into week four. Stay close to Lovie Smith, Rex; you may get the nod sooner than you think.

Orton needs to improve his play and decision making sooner rather than later, as the Bears can ill afford to keep losing games while the rest of the division moves ahead.

Orton needs to start looking down field more and take advantage of Brandon Lloyd. It seems that Lloyd is establishing himself as Orton's go-to guy. Should this be the case then Orton had better take advantage of his No. 1 receiver like all good quarterbacks do in the NFL.

I'm not saying that Orton is a quarterback in the caliber of a Tom Brady, but he can be viable when the mistakes are eliminated.

If Orton starts looking down field more, instead of taking what the defense gives him, it will stretch the field and open up more running lanes for Matt Forte, who has been better than expected so far. Even if the passes are incomplete, the defense will start to think that the Bears are capable of going deep at any point during the game.

If he doesn't try to stretch the field, opposing teams' defensive coordinators will start to creep more defenders into the box, as the Bears' passing game will not be respected at all as the season continues. The Philadelphia Eagles come to mind, as they are the next opponent and they had eight sacks of Big Ben Roethlisberger last Sunday.

The Eagles' defensive coordinator Jim Johnson is a master of the blitz and disguising his blitz packages, so Orton had better watch plenty of film to ensure that he doesn't permanently become part of the Soldier Field grass.

Orton can still lose his "butter-face" status. To do so he needs to watch more film than he has in the last few seasons, which should improve his play, which in turn will make him more "attractive" to the fans. Were I in his shoes, I would be watching film night and day looking for voids in the areas that the Eagle defenders are blitzing from.

I guarantee that there will be opportunities for Orton and the Bears to go deep down field. The Cowboys took advantage of this when they played the Eagles two weeks ago on Monday night. The Bears need to watch the film of the Cowboys' offensive series. They will learn something.

Despite the bad throws, the three-and-outs, and the interceptions thrown by Orton, the offense hasn't looked that bad. Matt Forte has been a bright spot so far and so has the offensive line.

I was one who thought that Orton or Grossman, whoever was chosen to start, would need vast amounts of painkillers, as I thought the line was going to be one of the weaker positions on the team. I am glad to say that I have been proved wrong to this date. We still have 14 weeks to go, though.

I sincerely hope that the Bears' offense can get on track. Should this sub-par play continue from Orton, it could start to divide the locker room about who they think should be getting the starts.

My humble advice would be for Kyle "Butter-Face" Orton to throw the damn ball down field, to take a line from Keyshawn Johnson, and try to score on one play. If it is not successful this will cause the defense to slow down just enough for a deep completion to be made eventually during the game.

Now is the time for the offense to step their game up and hopefully show what they can do against a top team. My fingers are crossed, my rabbit's foot is sewn to my Urlacher jersey, I haven't stepped on any cracks this week nor have I walked under any ladders, and I haven't seen any black cats, so hopefully my collective good luck can find its way to Orton and the boys.

Good luck during this week of preparation for the Eagles. Make every practice and film session count as Brian Dawkins and the Eagles defense loom large on the horizon.

Bears-Bucs: A Matchup of Mediocrity

An'dre Triplett — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 04:18:12 -0400

Brian Griese and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers come to Chicago this weekend in what is sure to be an epically mediocre matchup. The former Chicago Bear, Griese, will undoubtedly be as average for the Bucs as he was for the Bears.

Chicago starter Kyle Orton is sure to provide much of the same mediocre play this weekend that fans have seen in the first two weeks of the season.

The Bucs will bring in a balanced offensive attack to Chicago this Sunday. Their offense averages 331.5 yards per game, which gives them the No. 12 offense in the NFL. The Bucs are averaging 176.5 yards per game through the air, which is good enough for the No. 16 ranking.

Meanwhile, they average 155.0 yards per game on the ground, which gives them the No. 7 spot.

The Bucs' defense is another story.

While not having the reputation of the Warren Sapp, John Lynch, and Derrick Brooks-led Super Bowl teams, the Buccaneers will still give the Bears a run for their money. The Bucs come in giving up 16.5 points per game on defense, which gives them the No. 8 ranking in the NFL.

The Bucs on average are giving opponents' passing games 336.0 yards per game, which is the 23rd best in the NFL so far, while giving up 103.0 yards per game on the ground.

This should be the area that the Bears try to attack, as the Buccaneers have Phillip Buchannon at one corner, and he's not known for being a shutdown corner. The Bears may have an advantage by lining up Brandon Lloyd or splitting Greg Olsen out to gain the matchup.

The Bears' offense comes into this week's game averaging 287.5 total yards per game, which makes them the 24th rated offense in the league. The total yards per game are broken down this way. The 138.5 yards per game through the air gives the Bears the 27th-most potent air attack. The running game is averaging 149.0 yards per game, giving them the ninth-best running attack.

The defense, while not looking like the dominant force most are accustomed to yet, are still pretty damn good. The Bears' defense is giving up 254.5 total yards per game, good enough for the sixth-best defense in the league so far.

Teams have been averaging 171.0 passing yards per game, ranking the Bears the 11th-best defense against the pass, while giving up only 83.5 rushing yards per game, garnering them the No. 8 spot for teams against the run.

Some possible areas of concern for the Bucs include the first start of the season for Brian Griese. While usually not a liabilty on offense, he is not Joe Montana or John Elway. He poses no threat with the run, so the Bears' defense should have the green light for blitzing.

Joey Galloway may not play because of what is listed as a foot injury, which is going to be a problem for the Bucs when and if they try to stretch the field on the Bears. This will possibly make for short throws, comebacks, curls, and slants to be thrown against the Bears.

Derrick Brooks will be a game time-decision due to a hamstring injury, but I don't expect the seasoned veteran to sit willingly. I still remember Brooks getting interceptions and limping during the returns while he had a bad wheel a few seasons ago.

The Bears have a few concerns as well. Devin Hester's playing status would probably be the main concern for most Bears fans. Kyle Orton has yet to set the world on fire while somehow becoming more average than he looked in the preseason.

Greg Olsen must retain the football once he has caught it, as giveaways on offense swing field position and the Bears can ill afford to give away precious field position.

One area that I thought could use a little working out by the Bears' defense was the way they are implementing the bluff blitz, which they are calling the "mug" look. It appears that the Bears' linebackers approach the line a second late when blitzing, which a second is all that most quarterbacks in the NFL need, regardless of whether they are named Brady or Griese.

When or if the Bucs take a down field shot, I would expect that it would come when the Bears are trying to blitz while in the "mug" look. Should the Bucs not decide to throw the ball over 30 yards downfield, then the "mug" look would be susceptible in another way, and that is when the linebackers approach the line a second late, Griese will hit the slant or curl route behind the vacated linebackers.

With all this being said, I predict the Bears/Bucs game will come down to which team isn't mediocre the longest.

If Ron Turner can come up with some plays that will actually intimidate an opposing team's defense, the Bears should win by a score of 23-20 or 17-14. If Turner keeps calling the same old plays, then the Tampa defenders will creep closer to the line of scrimmage, trying to stuff Matt Forte and the running game.

Hopefully Mr. Orton can establish some type of connection with a receiver this week, which will hopefully keep Forte fresh through the fourth quarter.

Mediocre is the name of this week's matchup for the Bears, and I for one hope they don't live up to the name. My optimism for the Bears never wanes but remains an objective person. This week's game could be a sign of things to come if the Bears can't beat an average team like the Bucs.

This is where it starts for the Bears. If they can't step up and break the will of mediocre teams, like they should have done last week against Carolina, then they will not be able to compete with the elites of the NFC and may end up watching the playoffs with the rest of the public on their Lazy Boys.

It's time for the Bears to play like the Monsters of the Midway on BOTH sides of the ball! The offense can only be blamed for so long. Good luck this week, stay healthy, and kick some Buccaneers behind! Go Bears!

Don't Push The Panic Button Just Yet...But Keep Your Finger On It

An'dre Triplett — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 04:48:32 -0400

Well the preseason is over for the Chicago Bears, and it's now time to get down to evaluating the players to make final roster decisions by this weekend.

After last night's game against the Cleveland Browns, Lovie Smith, Bob Babich, and company are probably glad that it's time to get down to business.

There have been some positives from the preseason so far. There were no significant injuries to report regarding starters, Matt Forte showed that he may be able to carry the load—with a little help from the other Adrian Peterson and Garrett Wolfe—and the quarterback job has been settled...for now.

The young wide receivers have been competitive, and that's all you can ask for.

Now for the negatives. The offense has looked dull so far. The offensive line play is something to be concerned about. Left tackle is one position that caught my eye as needing rapid improvement, otherwise Kyle Orton and Rex Grossman should see if their agents can get a mid-season endorsement from Advil, Tylenol, etc., as they will incur total body aches.

The defense, though it played a watered down scheme, is also an area to be concerned about. The preseason is a time to perfect the base package of the defensive scheme (Cover 2) but the Bears have somehow seemed to look like they don't know how to run the scheme effectively.

I know Babich isn't going to show any of his cards, but one would think that he and Lovie are concerned right now.

With the season just a week away, their is still a lot of work to be done until then. Fine tuning the team and making adjustments is hopefully what this week will be all about, as Payton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts loom on the horizon—and you know they won't be holding back anything.

The red zone defense was one area that I thought could use some improving, as the closer teams got to the end zone the worse the team seemed to play. Brian Urlacher has looked a step slower this year, but I'll reserve final judgement until a few weeks have passed.

The defensive line has looked like the best unit on defense in my opinion. This unit may be the strength of the team, as they have multiple bodies that can inflict pain on opposing teams' quarterbacks. One player to watch is Israel Idonije, he seems to be getting off the ball and getting up field quickly. He will be a force to reckon with on pass rushing downs in the Bears' speed package.

Looking at all the games objectively, I predict that the Bears will go 8-8, or 9-7 should a leprechaun catch a pass and take it to the house during the fourth quarter of a crucial game.

I'm keeping my fingers and toes crossed that this is a successful campaign for the team, as Lovie may be looking for a new place of employment if it isn't.

My finger is on the panic button, but I haven't pushed it just yet. Hopefully it doesn't get pressed this season, as Lovie guides the team to the playoffs.

Let's hope for the best.

The Forgotten Ones: Green Bay Packers

An'dre Triplett — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 11:11:40 -0400

First, let me start by saying that I am a card carrying member of the Chicago Bears Nation. Writing this article will be like pulling teeth in some sorts but remaining objective and giving coverage to all teams is a writer's responsibility.

Now that the Brett Favre circus has moved on to the Big Apple, the Packers have been trying to put together a football team that can hopefully return to the NFC championship.

My question is this: Why aren't writers showing any love for the Packers with their preseason picks?

The pick-du-jour so far has been the Minnesota Vikings. Vic Carucci, Thomas George, Pat Kirwan, and Gil Brandt of NFL.COM all picked the Vikings in their NFC North divisional preview. Have they forgotten about the Packers?

Yes, the Packers may have questions at the quarterback (QB) position, but they certainly don't have more questions than the Vikings do with Tarvaris Jackson running the show for the Vikings.

It seems as if the national writers are forgetting about the Pack. The Packers and their supporters may like it just that way.

Mr. Favre has moved on, so I guess the sentiment of a few writers is out of sight, out of mind. Well, as a Bears fan, I can say that the Packers haven't been forgotten by me or my fellow Bears fans.

We were brutalized by #4 for years, so his departure doesn't necessarily make Bears fans mad. But it is interesting to see that people are picking the Vikings to win the division.

Aaron Rodgers has yet to show what he can do at the NFL level, having never started a game, but I believe he has a quarterback's best friend lined up right behind him. That friend I speak of is named Ryan Grant.

One would think that teams are going to start the season by stacking the box (line of scrimmage) with eight defenders and dare Rodgers to throw to any Green Bay receiver. This may backfire should teams try it and here's why:

Aaron Rodgers may have never started a game for the Packers, but he learned what to do and not to do by watching Brett Favre for the last four years. He should be fully versed in what throws to make or not make, and just like Favre he may try and force a throw here and there.

However, I've seen Tarvaris Jackson make some questionable throws in his young career, but the Vikings are still being picked to finish first in the division by prognosticator's. Rodgers has a stronger arm and reads the defense better in my opinion, so advantage Packers.

The reason for the Vikings being picked to finish first is probably the defense. Their defense is one of the better units in the league, so they will have to carry the offense as opposing teams' defenses may have figured out the beast that is Adrian Peterson.

So, Green Bay Packers fans, don't worry, I've got you covered with my picks and here's how they look:

1st: Green Bay (Rodgers is less of a question than Jackson is.)

2nd: Minnesota (Defense wins championships but will they be tired the second half of the year with the offense going three and out)?

3rd: Chicago (Too many question marks on offense with Orton, Forte, LT (John St. Clair)

4th: Detroit (Calvin Johnson & Roy Williams....then who? Plus lack of running game)

Packers fans, don't worry as I've not forgotten about your team up there. Good luck during this year's campaign "Cheeseheads"!

For the Chicago Bears, Is Love All They Need?

An'dre Triplett — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 05:06:14 -0400

Bears Nation is in need of some TLC right now!

The team is 0-3 in their preseason campaign so far, and things are not going quite as expected. Chris Williams and Jerry Angelo have some type of "he said"/"he said" thing going on, and fans of the team everywhere are calling for Rex, Jerry Angelo, and in a few cases, Lovie Smith's job.

I'd like to write a prescription for all card-carrying members of Bears Nation to take 200cc of LOVE and wait until the end of this season before releasing their venom on the front office.

I would like to say some choice things about the team's front office, but I'm going to refrain until the end of this season to see what type of magic can be worked. I'm still a believer in Lovie, as he has been able to keep the ship afloat with players that the scouts and front office personnel have determined will fit the scheme.

Now, I don't know what scheme this is, but the team has yet to establish an offensive identity. When Rex Grossman is the starting QB, the game plan is...? I still haven't figured that out. Now that Kyle Orton has been named opening-day starter, the identity will be...? Bears fans everywhere hold their collective breaths.

The one thing—and the first building block of the LOVE pyramid—to be thankful for is the defense. They didn't look good against the 49ers, but there is still room for hope. This is a defense that can, and should, be dominant this season.

There aren't many defenses like the Bears, which have depth at the defensive linemen positions, a linebacking group that is a top-five unit, and a Pro Bowl corner to boot. Also, some defensive players have been paid this past offseason (Urlacher/Harris), which helps alleviate frustration, since money has been know to make an athlete happy.

I know Bears fans aren't the most forgiving, but I implore all of us to hold off a little longer, at least until the end of the season, before we start dumping on any and everyone having to do with the front office and the coaching staff.

Once this season has ended, and we see the fruits of the team's labors, then and only then should we aim our vitriol at the suits. The Beatles said it and it still rings true, "LOVE is all we need!"

Ron Tuner, should the season go badly, is first on my list, so leave him to me for roasting, if you will.

I'll be watching and giving the team my full support this season, and I know you all will be as well.

It's hard to wait to roast Lovie, Ron Turner, and Angelo, as we all want to. It would be so easy to rip these guys for all the mistakes they've made, in our opinions, but let's all wait, give the team our never-ending support, and see what happens.

LOVE may be just what they've been missing all along. This is just one optimist's opinion. What do you think Bears Nation?

The Chicago Bears' Playoff Hopes Lie In the "Baltimore Blueprint"

An'dre Triplett — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 11:09:15 -0400

Name the Baltimore Ravens' starting quarterback for the 2000 season. Have you come up with the answer yet? I will give the answer later in this article.

This article is a comparison between what has been called the "Baltimore Blueprint" and the Chicago Bears' chances of returning to the playoffs. Yes, I said playoffs!

The "blueprint", as I will call it in this article, was a plan that entailed the quarterback not making mistakes that would hamper the team from going deep into the playoffs and possibly making a Super Bowl run.

I'm going to look at the statistics for the games played by Trent Dilfer and Rex Grossman.

First, we'll look at Dilfer's stats for the 2000 season.

Dilfer played in 11 games that year and started in eight of them. Dilfer's passing yardage total was 1,502 yards. He threw 226 times, completing 134 passes for a 59.3 completion percentage, while throwing 12 TDs and 11 INTs.

Dilfer's longest throw that year was 59 yards. He was sacked 23 times for a loss of 135 yards. Dilfer averaged 136.5 yards per game that year. These statistics are not mind-blowing by any standard.

Now, let's look at Rex Grossman's stats from last year.

Grossman played in eight games and started seven, but he was injured, which ended his season prematurely. Rex threw 225 times and completed 122 passes, for a 54.2 completion percentage. He totaled 1,411 yards through the air while throwing four TDs and seven INTs. Rex's longest throw last year was also 59 yards. Grossman was sacked 25 times for a loss of 198 yards. These stats also are not mind-blowing, but are similar to Dilfer.

What both QBs did have in common was a veteran defense. The Chicago Bears' front seven feature players such as Tommie Harris, Alex Brown, Lance Briggs, Brian Urlacher, Hunter Hillenmeyer, and Adewale Ogunleye.

The Bears' defense should be the identity of the team while the offense tries to create one this year, with rookie running back Matt Forte and rookie wide receivers Earl Bennett and Marcus Monk. Once an offensive identity has been established, the Bears' offense will be more formidable against NFC defenses.

The precious commodity that is field position is invaluable in the NFL, and too often the Bears spent a majority of their possessions in their own half of the field last season.

To alleviate this, Grossman should use his third and fourth receivers to gain any yardage via the swing pass, or he should look for the tight end coming across the middle of the field. Hopefully, Greg Olsen can be that playmaker across the middle. This will only succeed if Olsen proves that he can block in the run game.

Rex Grossman, though he doesn't have all-pro talent surrounding him, can be a decent quarterback, as Trent Dilfer was for Baltimore. The only thing Rex needs to do is play mistake-free football and not put the defense in a bad position after a turnover.

If he can accomplish that, then the Bears' chances of winning increases exponentially. Should Rex not be able to stay relatively mistake free, look for Kyle Orton to take over the quarterback duties.

The Ravens showed what it takes to make a deep playoff, and eventually a Super Bowl, run with a mediocre quarterback. Hopefully the Bears can implement some type of similar plan for this upcoming season.

With Rex Grossman having signed a one-year deal this offseason, the time is now for him to show that he can lead the team back to the playoffs and, hopefully, the Super Bowl.

Have you figured out who the starting quarterback was for the Ravens yet?

Well it was former Michigan State and St. Louis Rams quarterback Tony Banks.

Anything is possible! Go Bears!!

Parcells is oppor(tuna)istic shipping Taylor to Skins

An'dre Triplett — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 09:57:10 -0400

The soap opera that was the Jason Taylor and Bill Parcells show is over in Miami.

The Miami Dolphins traded Jason Taylor to the Washington Redskins for two picks. The Skins' received Taylor in exchange for sending away next year's second-round pick and 2010's sixth-round pick.

Bill Parcells was opportunistic in shipping Taylor to the Redskins as it seemed like Taylor had worn out his welcome in Miami by not showing up for off-season workouts in lieu of "Dancing with the stars".

The writing was on the wall in Miami that Taylor's days were numbered as the team drafted two defensive ends (Phillip Merling, 2nd round/Clemson & Kendall Langford, 3rd round/Hampton) in this year's draft.

The Redskins replace a solid DE in Phillip Daniels, who hurt his knee on the first day of training camp and is finished for the season, with Jason Taylor who put up solid numbers (11 sacks) last season while playing on a team that finished 1-15.

A thing to look for with Taylor and the Skins will be how well he adjusts to pass rushing off the left side as he will likely start in place of Daniels as Andre Carter starts on the right side.

Washinton gets the 2008 NFL Man of the Year in Taylor, a player who has started every game in the last eight seasons, had 11 sacks last year while being the Dolphins' lone Pro Bowl representative, and has 117 career sacks.

The Redskins' defensive coordinator, Greg Blache, will likely simplify some of the defensive schemes to take advantage of Taylor's ability. With the addition of Taylor, the Redskins have positioned themselves to contend for the NFC East title.

The Dolphins have now proverbially killed two birds with one stone by trading away a player who no loner wanted to be with the organization and added more draft picks which will help the team in the future. Taylor leaving signals the end of the "old guard" in Miami now that he and former teammate Zach Thomas (signed with Dallas) are gone.

Jason Taylor may help the Redskins more than Daniels did last year as he is able to shed blockers quickly which will create havoc for opposing backfields and in turn will help the secondary.

Bill Parcells played the game the right way by not saying anything to the media and keeping everything "in house" regarding Taylor.

The Redskins had to pay to get a guy they needed but the price may end up being a bargain should they make the NFC Championship and compete for a ticket to the Superbowl.

Have Car, Will Drive For Cash

An'dre Triplett — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 11:47:34 -0400

So, you're a professional athlete. You've just been drafted to the league of your dreams and are playing at the highest level. What should you do that most athletes don't?

Hire a dang driver!

The recent arrest of the Jacksonville Jaguars' Matt Jones for drug possession made me think...why the heck didn't he hire a driver?

Athletes are putting themselves in difficult positions when it comes to driving. Whether it be former Dallas Cowboy Nate Newton, former Kansas City Chief, Bam Morris, or the infamous Portland Trailblazers, or as some called them back in the day, the "Jail"Blazers, the problem is the same for all parties, and that is they don't hire a driver.

When I was in college and may have had one to many adult beverages, I would either walk home or take a taxi. Why can't these athletes do the same? They have money at their disposal but choose to drive their cars intoxicated or in Matt Jones' case, sit in a parked car while allegedly chopping up cocaine in the drivers seat with a credit card.

Randy Moss allegedly tried to run over a police officer while still a Minnesota Viking and the Chicago Bulls' Derrick Rose was cited for driving 105mph. Why the heck would you drive 105mph for unless you were drag racing?

These athletes stirred my entrepreneurial juices. I started thinking that all these athletes could avoid this trouble if they hired me to be their driver. I would have my agent, because every good driver needs a agent, negotiate a reasonable fee in exchange for reliable, police free, transportation to and from the destination of their choice.

Should the athlete wish to engage in illegal activity, i.e, allegedly cut up cocaine, smoke marijuana, etc., it would be between myself and the "client".

If any athletes out there can hear, me, or hear, I'm just like the people on the off-ramps of freeways nationwide, I'm available for work anytime you need me.

Kevin Jones Signs with the Chicago Bears

An'dre Triplett — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 08:51:26 -0400

The Chicago Bears signed former Detroit Lions' running back Kevin Jones to a one year, $650,000 deal. Jones is coming off a torn ACL in December and may end up on the Bears' physically unable to perform (PUP) list while he continues to get healthy.

Jones will bring more depth to a running back corps that ranked 30th in rushing last season. With Cedric Benson being released and Adrian Peterson being the only veteran with more than two years experience in the backfield, the Bears are in need of quality players. Jones may be considered a gamble by some but only time will tell.

Jones may be a pleasant surprise should he be able to return to his prior form. Jones is a decent pass catcher out of the backfield and should be able to help the Bears in some of their third down packages. Jones had his best pass catching season in 2006 when he had 61 receptions for 520 yards while averaging 8.5 yards per catch.

Not having an established deep threat in the passing game and losing Bernard Berrian to the Minnesota Vikings in the offseason will hamper the Bears' passing game this season as teams will not respect Rex Grossman's or Kyle Orton's (should he win the starting job) ability to throw the deep ball accurately or consistently.

Having more depth at the running back position will strengthen the Bears' passing game in turn as the opposing defenses will not know whom to "key" on in the offense should they establish a respectable running game.

Adrian Peterson is a decent back but not an every down back. Matt Forte has yet to establish himself in the NFL while Garrett Wolfe is more of a third down back so signing Jones was not a bad idea.

The Bears need a back that can carry the ball 20-25 times a game and pass block well. Jones fits both of the requirements when healthy. How well he fits in with the rest of the team and how quickly he learns the running scheme remain to be seen.

Open Mic: Defininiton of Sport—Not Eating Food

An'dre Triplett — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 04:25:26 -0400

What exactly is sport? What defines a sport? Are some athletic endeavors a skill, or might they truly be a sport? Steve Healey, a graduate student in Stanford University's Physics Department, wrote what he considered to be a "Rigorous Definition of a Sport" and it goes as follows: "A sport is any activity in which all of the following take place:

1. An individual playing session is held between exactly two opposing players or teams. 2. The successful completion of a playing session results in a win for one player or team and a loss for the other or a tie between the two players or teams. 3. An integer score is assigned to each team corresponding directly to the number of times certain predetermined actions are performed by that team. The only judgment by any official regarding the score is whether these actions were performed. The winner of the playing session is determined by the final score. 4. The players regularly engage in rapid, self-propelled locomotion. Examples include, but are not limited to, running, skating, and swimming. 5. The duration of the game is limited either by time or by the completion of a preselected number of play units, the scope of which is determined by the completion of certain events during play. 6. The objective of the activity does not at any time directly involve physically harming an opponent. 7. The status of a solid inanimate object, movable by the force of one player, is of central importance when play is active. Furthermore, when play is active, the object is not physically attached to any player; and it is not rendered motionless, held, or contained by any player for an extended period of time. 8. No live animals, other than humans, are used.

Using this framework of what sport, the following would not be considered sports: Boxing, martial arts, swimming, or track and field events.

Football, baseball, lacrosse, hockey, basketball, and tennis would be considered sports under this definition. The Fourth of July is this weekend and Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs will host its annual hot dog eating contest. You will hear the announcer(s) call the competitors "athletes", but I would disagree with that label. Even though the "athletes" have tranined countless hours, given their blood, sweat, and tears, and have forsaken their family life to compete on the competitive eating circuit, I would still argue that these men and women are not athletes, but rather skilled competitors. To call these people athletes would be a cruel joke to athletes worldwide.

While I can appreciate the ability to eat 45 hot dogs in 10 minutes or drink four gallons of Kool-Aid in one sitting, I don't believe what these people do is to be considered a major accomplishment—such as throwing 50 plus touchdown passes in one season like Tom Brady did. What competitive eaters do is similar to what my uncles used to do at BBQ's every summer, and that is display a skill (excessive beer drinking, in their case) that is serious only to themselves and a select few others. Having said my piece regarding what a sport is, I will still watch the slow motion train wreck that is competitive eating this July 4th weekend, along with millions of other Americans. When does football training camp begin?

Chicago Bears: Strong Back Needed for Heavy Lifting

An'dre Triplett — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 04:20:25 -0400

With training camps set to open this month, the Chicago Bears are facing a dilemma—who will their starting running back be? The Bears need improvement upon a rush offense that was ranked 30th in the NFL last year.

The team's release of Cedric Benson creates a void at the running back position. Who will be the man to carry the load next season for a team that desperately needs a back to emerge? Will this question be answered in training camp, or will the Bears decide to take a chance on the free agent market?

While there are a few viable options on the free agent market (most notably Shaun Alexander), there is no long-term solution for the Bears right now.

The Bears selected Matt Forte of Tulane University with their second round pick (No. 44) in this year's draft, but fans will have to wait and see if Forte lives up to his potential. Adrian Peterson is a nice change of pace back but hasn't shown the durability that the Bears will need.

The NFC North is a division with four inexperienced quarterbacks, so the need for ball control via the running game is crucial for the Bears if they expect to contend for the division title.

Shaun Alexander, formerly of the Seattle Seahawks, may provide a decent short term solution, as he is a bigger back that may be able to handle the ball-carrying duties in offensive coordinator Ron Turner's system.

The possibility of a two-back shuttle system with Adrian Peterson and Garrett Wolfe may be an option as well.

The approach for now appears to be "wait and see" until after training camp has ended and the Bears reassess their options.

NBA Today: Much Different From the 1980s

An'dre Triplett — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 10:12:31 -0400

Do you remember any of the pictured players? Now that the NBA draft has concluded, I've been thinking about what the NBA has become and what the league used to be.

I'm not one to spurn or dismiss the talents of today's NBA stars but the league has become watered down. The players are younger, the draft classes are getting weaker year by year, and the cohesiveness of a TEAM is rarely seen until the playoffs.

I can remember when NBA players had to EARN their way onto a team and were not given a roster spot based on potential.

The lottery picks are going to make nice guaranteed money and hopefully pan out for their respective teams. In the "One and done" age of collegiate hoops the teams are paying for a prospect they HOPE will be a star in the coming years.

There aren't many employers across the country that are willing to pay for potential. The lottery picks should be thankful for having the privilege to play in a well organized league such as the NBA.

Getting back to the point. This isn't my daddy's NBA! There are no great rivalries like there used to be. In the 1980's, there were two dominant teams, they were the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics.

The teams were polarizing in the athletes that played for the teams and the cities in which they were located. If you lived on the east coast you probably rooted for the Celtics and if you were on the west coast the Lakers.

Well, I grew up in Chicago, so I didn't really care for either team. Reggie Theus and Orlando Woolridge were the main stays for the Bulls at that time. And the Detroit Pistons and the Milwaukee Bucks were giving the Bulls all they could handle.

These rivalries were what made teams so good back then. You had to dominate your division opponents in regular season play and then crush them come playoff time. The regular season now is a race for playoff position and rarely will you see a "playoff type" atmosphere in January or February.

My daddy's NBA players, while not as talented as today's players, had the all around game that the players of today are lacking.

The "old school" players used the glass, the guards were not afraid of grabbing a few boards, and the role players knew their place. The athletes of the new millennium jump higher, and are stronger.

However, the role players of today, in general, have forgotten how to get a "floor burn" diving for a loose ball like Vinny "The Microwave" Johnson of the Detroit Pistons used to. Or how to come off the bench and shut down the opposing team's best player like Michael Cooper of the Los Angeles Lakers used to do routinely.

The players of today should watch old footage of their forefathers that came before them to learn how to have a "career" in the NBA. If not, they will just turn into a "flash in the pan" type of player that will be forgotten five years after their playing days are over.

Chicago Bulls: Stop and Smell the Rose

An'dre Triplett — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 04:13:44 -0400

The Chicago Bulls got their guy! Point guard Derrick Rose went No. 1 to the Bulls in last night's draft. While there was some debate as to whom the Bulls should take with their pick, they stuck with the point guard.

Some thouhgt that Kansas State's Michael Beasley may have gone No. 1 with the pick and that may not have been such a bad idea.

Derrick Rose will be a solid first pick for new Bulls' coach Vinny Del Negro to begin his reign with. By adding Rose the Bulls will be able to better compete with the likes of the Cavaliers (LeBron James), the Pistons (Chauncey Billups/Richard Hamilton), and the Bucks (Michael Redd) in their division for a playoff spot.

While not a finished product, Rose has some of the intangibles that the Bulls' current point guards are lacking. He brings athleticism that Kirk Hinrich does not and he is bigger than Ben Gordon so that will help on the defensive end of the floor as he will likely be matched up against bigger guards (like Billups) at the "one" spot.

With their second round pick the Bulls selected Sonny Weems out of Arkansas. Weems will be another nice addition for the Bulls who are in need of more athleticism in the backcourt.