Bleacher Report - Articles by Keith Grieve

Chicago Bears Struggles Unforeseen...But How?

Keith Grieve — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:16:50 -0500

For those of you paying attention whether on this site or on my weekly podcast at 87sportsfans.com, you may remember a little prediction I made about the Chicago Bears going 15-1 and winning the NFC Championship.

Open mouth, insert foot.

Where could I have gone so wrong? How could I have been so blind to the many aspects of football that this team manages to find so difficult?

I made my prediction based on the following beliefs: First, Jay Cutler would not only solve the offense's problems, but make the Chicago Bears a potent offensive team.

Second, that defensive line issues from the past would be long forgotten with the presence of a healthy Tommie Harris and the addition of Rod Marinelli as Defensive Line Coach.

Third, the addition of Orlando Pace and the movement of 2008 first round pick Chris Williams to Right Tackle would solidify what had been previously an unserviceable offensive line.

Fourth, that the defensive secondary would be vastly improved with a healthy Nathan Vasher and Zachary Bowman who started to impress in 2008 before he was hurt.

Turns out I was wrong on all four principles, and losing middle linebacker Brian Urlacher didn't exactly help.

Let's dissect one by one, shall we?

1.) The addition of Jay Cutler: When General Manager Jerry Angelo made the move of the century (all nine years of it) and traded for quarterback Jay Cutler, it seemed that a key aspect of the offense that had underwhelmed in the past had finally been addressed and corrected.

It was assumed by this observer that defenses would have to respect Cutler's arm and play making ability and thus would allow RB Matt Forte to run free.

Then came Week 1 in Green Bay when Cutler repeatedly couldn't find his own receivers and the red flags went up. Now, teams not only don't fear Cutler, they don't respect him anymore, which allows them to creep and make running the ball a lot harder.

More about that later.

2.) Defensive Line play: Outside of Cutler and Pace, the much ballyhooed decision to bring in Rod Marinelli to coach the defensive line after his historically bad tenure as head coach in Detroit was expected to be a great fit.

Marinelli, after all, only got the gig in Detroit by leading one of the NFL's best defensive lines in Tampa Bay. One would think he would be able to translate that effectiveness to a Chicago team that went to Super Bowl just three seasons ago? Right?

Wrong. Not only has there been no change to a previously non-existent pass rush, Tommie Harris decided to show up only this past week in San Francisco trying to exorcise the ghosts of getting ejected in the first quarter the previous week.

No pass rush from your front four means you make yourself vulnerable in the secondary, and every game against a passer with a strong arm has proved to be a struggle. Even Matthew Stafford and Detroit had a decent first half against them.

And next week, Donovan McNabb will be on the other side of the field.

Gulp.

What Marinelli has done has marginalized the impact of position coaches and really directed the spotlight at the absolute blind eye for talent Angelo has.

Green Bay has allowed the most sacks this season to date than any other season in the past nine years. And the Bears STILL couldn't sack Aaron Rodgers.

3.) Offensive Line play: Orlando Pace joining a line that allowed Matt Forte to have a decent rookie season would give any football observer hope that things could only get better.

Wrong. This has to be the worst Bears line in the last 10 years. Olin Kreutz is nowhere near his once Pro Bowl caliber play. Guards Roberto Garza, Frank Omiyale, and Josh Beekman have shown no ability to provide holes for Forte to run through.

Of course, this only makes life for Cutler worse and magnifies the fact that there is no accomplished receiver to provide support.

If you build teams from the lines out, the Bears are in a full blown rebuilding stage.

4.) Defensive secondary play: Tackling has never been high on the priority list of any Bears defensive backs under Smith, but this season exceptionally worse.

Watching the Cardinals Beanie Wells get into the secondary and have Danieal Manning (a safety) come up and try to tackle him high and allow 6-10 more yards while he tries to tackle, strip, wear down, ride, etc. just makes me cry.

The coverage calls are mostly soft, which coupled with a lack of pass rush, allows most NFL quarterbacks to pick them apart. Inexperienced and inconsistent play at the safety position also have caused this unit to create problems.

All in all, the 2009 Chicago Bears are a debacle. The current recipe is not providing any results and the men currently at the helm have proved incompetent.

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice...somebody better be fired.

Bears Poised For Greatness?

Keith Grieve — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 16:35:31 -0400

The Chicago Bears ended 2008 on a low note. Despite playing lackluster football for most of the year, they still ended up playing for a spot in the playoffs in Week 17. All they had to do was beat the Houston Texans.

In the end, that proved a daunting task, falling 31-24 to team that finished only .500.

Exiting that season, there were three key areas that needed to improve more than any other: quarterback, wide receiver, and defensive line.

Enter Jay Cutler, Rod Marinelli, and the same group of underwhelming pass catchers that made Bears' fans nauseous last year.

Cutler is an instant upgrade at quarterback, regardless of whatever maturity issues he may or may not have. Watching him this preseason, I like the fire he brings when he's not holding the ball. The guy wants to win and has high standards for those around him he has to rely on. You can try, but you can't really fault the guy for that.

Compare the stats for Cutler and new Denver quarterback Kyle Orton, and it's easy to get a little excited:

Cutler: 62.3% completed, 4526 Yards, 25 TD's, 18 INT's, 7.3 yards per attempt

Orton: 58.5% completed, 2972 Yards, 18 TD's, 12 INT's, 6.4 yards per attempt

Cutler threw some picks, for sure, but he did all the other good stuff despite a merry-go-round backfield that was far from intimidating.

On Chicago's offense, Matt Forte set Bears rookie running back records last year. Can you imagine what Cutler might have been able to do in Denver if he wasn't the sole focus of the offense?

Orlando Pace was added to solidify the tackle position after the unexpected retirement of John Tait, which immediately upgrades the offensive line if he can stay healthy.

All of this creates the opportunity for some fireworks in Chicago this year.

True, the wide receiver position was not addressed through new blood except for draftees Juaquin Iglesias and Johnny Knox. However, Earl Bennett seems ready to take position as the number one receiver after struggling to digest the playbook last year.

Oh, and Bennett and Cutler were pretty productive when they played together at Vanderbilt too.

Watching the Bears play defense last year, one had to wonder if maybe the window was closing on this group. Upon further review though, it's easy to see that what the Bears were clearly lacking on that side of the ball was a pass rush.

The Bears were ranked 5th in the NFL against the run last year. Conversely, they were ranked 30th against the pass.

It would be easy to pick on the secondary, but in the NFL, if you can't get to the quarterback someone's going to be open on every play.

That's exactly what new Defensive Line Coach Rod Marinelli was brought in to do. Erase that whole 0-16 Detroit Lions mystique. There's no doubt as to Marinelli's credentials as a position coach. If he can live up to his rep and get better consistent production out of a talented group, this defense could be ready to dominate again.

Tommie Harris' health is an absolute must-have and I didn't see enough explosion in the preseason to make me believe he's ready. However, if he can return to his 2006 form, the secondary's job just got easier.

The safety position vacated by the release of Mike Brown seems to be answered by Danieal Manning, who needs to be more consistent for this defense to return to the upper echelon.

The Chicago Bears are in a very promising position, and if everything goes right, this should be a very successful season. I can honestly predict them going 14-2, barring injuries of course.

The Monsters of the Midway, as they say, have returned.

Lamar Odom and Los Angeles Lakers Need Each Other

Keith Grieve — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 10:07:21 -0400

The 2008-2009 World Champion Los Angeles Lakers had a lot of things going for them. First, obviously, they had one of the best players in the game- Kobe Bryant. They had a defensively reinvigorated Pau Gasol to go along with budding star Andrew Bynum.

They also had something else that turned out to be more important than any of those in the long run: an incredibly talented sixth-man that can play two positions, defend, rebound, and run the floor as good as any starter in the league.

Lamar Odom now appears headed out of town. "Persona non grata" in the town that took a shot on the previously beleagured but talented player.

How did this all happen? Isn't the champagne still drying in the Orlando Magic's visitor's locker room?

Can it be that a player that proved his worth averaging a double-double in February when pressed back into the starting lineup when starting center Bynum went down with yet another injury be in a position to not be welcomed back?

The rumors were swirling from the beginning of free agency that Western Conference rivals San Antonio and Phoenix were both interested. However that interest waned after the Lakers decided to let small forward Trevor Ariza go to Houston and signed Ron Artest to take his place.

It was thought by everyone that the Lakers had examined their conscience and decided on the supremely more talented Odom instead of the up-and-coming wing defender.

It was also thought that the three year, $27 million offer the Lakers put on the table would have been enough to entice Odom back to a team that essentially got better with the signing of Artest and no departures of significance.

However Odom apparently wanted more years and at least $10 million per year so he took his time to contemplate the offer. This riled Lakers owner Dr. Jerry Buss who promptly pulled the offer off the table, leaving Odom in limbo apparently available to the highest bidder.

Enter: the Miami Heat.

A team desperately trying to prove to their star DeWayne Wade, who could leave in free agency after the 2009-2010 season, that they are serious about contending for a title. No official offer has been made, but Miami has a lot more to lose by not signing Odom than the Lakers do.

However that does not mean that the Lakers don't need Odom. In fact, if Odom leaves, their chances for repeating as Conference champions becomes significantly more difficult.

Odom's length provided a unique ability to flank Bynum with Gasol and Odom and make the paint almost impentrable. At this point, the bench at the power forward spot consists of Josh Powell with a stretch to include Luke Walton.

That can't make you feel good if you're the Lakers. Sure Powell showed promise and Walton can contribute somewhat, but neither at Odom's level in both talent and performance.

Bynum now needs to prove he can stay healthy. Gasol, while he played tougher last year, still tends to drift from the paint. Odom brought versatility to the position that will not be replaced.

Strictly from a rotation standpoint, the Lakers need to find a middle road and bring Odom back if they want to seriously contend next year. Anything less would be failure.

Unfortunately that failure will be from the front office, not on the floor.

First Signs of Trouble for Chicago Bears

Keith Grieve — Thu, 07 May 2009 22:44:43 -0400

Well folks, I can't believe I'm going to be "that guy" right now.

It's May, the draft is over, rookie mini-camp has given us our first clue as to how the Chicago Bears made out despite not drafting until day two, and all I'm focused on are the words that came out of new quarterback Jay Cutler's mouth.

In an interview on www.chicagobears.com, Mr. Cutler actually uttered the following phrase when referring to Bear receivers: "We have a lot of weapons here."

Maybe Denver really did know what they were doing.

Are you out of your mind? Weapons?

Let me refresh your memory as to how the depth chart breaks down at wide out (in no particular order):

Devin Hester: Everyone knows the only route he's mastered is the"'seam."

Earl Bennett: The guy couldn't learn the playbook last year.

Rashied Davis: He can't get open much, and when he does it's a slant route and he usually can't hold on.

Brandon Rideau: He is a weapon, or he carries a weapon? I know which one I believe more.

Throw in some late draft picks no one else wanted, and you can't help but hope that the quarterback really does make the receivers. With this group, if he can make the Bears competitive through the air, I wouldn't be against canonizing him right then and there.

It's like buying a sports car but then opting for the wheel covers and an AM radio. The only difference is that this year, at least the body looks good.

Even the hands are horrible, the body looks good.

Damn You, Joe Flacco

Keith Grieve — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 13:01:53 -0500

I'm pulling for whoever the Baltimore Ravens play next week in the AFC Championship Game.

Sorry fellas, I have too much to lose.

See, while Flacco has shown great poise and played better than anyone could have guessed, every game his team wins in the playoffs spells doom for every Chicago Bears fan everywhere.

Every step Baltimore advances to with mediocre numbers out of the quarterback position will serve as more proof to Bears' General Manager Jerry Angelo that they are just fine with Kyle Orton at quarterback.

The Bears have not had a championship signal caller since quarterbacks were really calling signals and if the Ravens are successful under Flacco, that wait will only get longer.

Go ahead, check out the stats.

COM ATT PCT YDS YPA LNG TD TD% INT INT% SK RAT

Flacco 257 428 60.0 2971 6.94 70 14 3.3 12 2.8 32.0 80.3

Orton 272 465 58.5 2972 6.39 65 18 3.9 12 2.6 27.0 79.6

Is that ulcer bubbling yet?

There may not be any better options out there; however, if there is one, Flacco's success will most definitely keep Angelo from realizing the need to upgrade the position.

It's no secret that the secret to Baltimore's success is its defense, which is why the Ravens are contending for the Super Bowl and the Bears are ensured of a great view from their living rooms.

The Bears defense is dead, and it will be until Defensive Coordinator Bob Babich is gone and some fresh ideas are brought in. The Bears cannot expect to successful with this kind of quarterback play.

In most years, it would be readily apparent. Flacco gives a concrete example that a team CAN be successful without a Tom Brady under center. However this unique example cannot be applied like spackle to every team.

So Mr. Flacco, next season, when I'm watching some other quarterback the Bears passed on light it up, I'm blaming you.

I hope you're happy.

Bears Hire Rod Marinelli; Now What?

Keith Grieve — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 21:17:50 -0500

The Chicago Bears have hired Rod Marinelli to coach their atrocious and overpaid defensive line and serve as assistant head coach.

How does that work?

Help me out with this one: if Defensive Coordinator Bob Babich makes a questionable playcall, and we all know he will, does the Defensive Line Coach get to put a foot in his backside?

It sounds a lot like chaos, or as they call it around Halas Hall: "par for the course".

Is there any way to give Marinelli play calling duties? I know he coached an 0-16 team, but how much of that was really his fault? It was like building a skyscraper out of Lego's.

Babich has taken a world class defense and run it into the ground. Even with the questionable personnel moves by General Manager Jerry Angelo, Babich has proven himself inept at coordinating an NFL defense.

Maybe Marinelli can talk some sense into Head Coach Lovie Smith and make some adjustments to the vastly overrated defense some have called the "Cover-Who?".

Marinelli should make improvements in the Bears line play: it can't get much worse. If there isn't significant jumps in output next year, he should just retire and play Parcheesi somewhere.

When I heard the news of Marinelli's hiring, I had a vision in my head of what training camp might look like. It was something like this: a summer afternoon and the players are dressed in pads (not hitting, of course. The pads are just for show) and Marinelli is there busting his tail to show Alex Brown and Adewale Ogunleye what a consistent pass rush looks like.

Tommie Harris is there wondering what everyone's problem is and Anthony Adams has this "I told you so" look on his face.

Next thing you know, a whistle blows and Babich barks out some ludicrous instruction. At this point Marinelli wrinkles his face, walks over and punches him square in the mouth.

I was snapped back to reality by the honking of horns, but it seemed real for that quick instance.

Could it be real? Please?

Chicago Bears: A Rudderless Ship

Keith Grieve — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 22:11:17 -0500

After the 2007 Super Bowl hangover, Chicago Bears General Manager, Jerry Angelo and Head Coach, Lovie Smith had some pretty significant areas to address. Aside from running back, those areas were pretty much ignored as most of the front office believed that injuries were primarily to blame.

The short list of areas to address last year:

Quarterback

Running back (thank God for Matt Forte)

Wide Receiver

Offensive Line

Defensive Line

Safety

One year later the Bears are two games better in the win column, yet failed to make the playoffs for the second consecutive year after reaching the Super Bowl following the 2006 campaign.

The short list of areas to address this year:

Quarterback

Wide Receiver

Offensive Line

Defensive Line

Safety

Sound familiar?

If Kyle Orton proved anything it's that he can be just as frustrating as Rex Grossman to watch. In fact, Orton's up and down year was very much Grossman-like, without the vomit-inducing fumbled snaps.

The college bowl season is over now and as we head into week No. 2 of the NFL Playoffs, there's no time like the present to help the offseasonly challenged GM and Head Coach map out a strategy to salvage the franchise.

So far the Bears have been underwhelming in their scapegoating ways. Apparently, Brick Haley, Lloyd Lee, and Steven Wilks are to blame for the once mighty Chicago defense descending into oblivion.

Only the Bears would blame a horrific defense that could not cover nor tackle on the defensive line, linebackers, and defensive backs coaches, respectively.

If all of these coaches were operating to undercut the mighty cover-two defense, then what role did Defensive Coordinator Bob Babich have? Seriously folks, Babich must have some kind of incriminating video of Smith because there is absolutely no reason this guy should still be employed.

Especially since this is the franchise that ran Ron Rivera out of town after guiding the Super Bowl defense.

What have we (not them, of course) learned in the last three seasons?

1. Danieal Manning cannot play safety—no way, no how. He can be productive at nickelback and even as a kick returner, but the man just cannot handle the position.

2. You cannot play soft coverage and blitz. The three-step-drop slant is just too easy. According to Stats, Inc., the Bears blitzed more than any other team, and they still couldn't get to the quarterback in time.

3. You have to practice tackling. Sounds simple, doesn't it?

4. Dusty Dvorcek is overrated

5. Mike Brown is not a reliable option. I love him to death, but the man just refuses to stay healthy.

Finally, and most importantly: The cover-two does not fool anyone anymore. Evolve, or Darwin will work his magic.

So where do the Bears go from here?

Drafting a quarterback is always a risky idea, one the Bears haven't done very well since Sid Luckman joined the team. This year could prove just as tempestuous as the Bears pick 18th and even the best quarterbacks are no sure thing.

The highest rated quarterback according to Pro Football Weekly's list is 52 overall. Granted underclassmen like Florida QB Tim Tebow and Oklahoma's Sam Bradford haven't made their intentions known yet, but even those two are no sure thing.

The best option at quarterback could be if the Arizona Cardinals decide to part ways with Kurt Warner and turn to Matt Leinart. Warner has about two good years left in him and hopefully that would give the NCAA a couple of years to produce somebody to salivate over.

At offensive line, guard is the most pressing position and possible free agency options include Washington's Pete Kendall and New England's Russ Hochstein. The Patriots have already used their "Franchise Player" tag on QB Matt Cassel, so Hochstein might just be available.

If these players hit the market, they have to be very attractive over drafting and grooming a young player.

At Wide Receiver, there is no clear No. 1 receiver tabbed to be a free agent, so look for the Bears to address this with their first pick. A player like Maryland's Derrius Heyward-Bey would be a great choice here if he's available.

The Bears lacked a pass rush terribly last season and if Carolina's Julius Peppers hits the market, he has to be someone the Bears make a good effort to land.

Safety is another concern as the oft-injured Brown is another year older, Kevin Payne hasn't set the world on fire, and Craig Steltz is an unknown quantity. If Taylor Mays from USC is available at 18, that may trump the wide receiver pick.

However, if I know Angelo, he'll be satisfied with the mediocrity and ignore this position.

All in all, the Bears should have options. Warner and Peppers should be priorities if they hit the market.

Unfortunately, no infusion of talent will suddenly enable the Bears to get out of their own way. Out of all these possible moves, the only one that is absolutely necessary is the one they won't make: Firing Babich.

Smith better hope Babich doesn't become to him what John Shoop was to Dick Jauron.

A Long December: Why Watching the Lakers Makes Me Sick

Keith Grieve — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 13:59:39 -0500

I waited almost 24 hours after Sunday nights Bucks vs. Lakers game before writing this entry.

I had to wait that long for the nausea to stop.

The Milwaukee Bucks are far from contenders. It would be a stretch to call them pretenders. In fact, they don't "tend" to do much of anything, especially play defense.

Which made them the perfect dance partners for the Los Angeles Lakers last night, as the Lakers don't like to play defense either.

It's difficult to put into words just how utterly painful it was to watch this game.

The outcome wasn't a matter of who wanted to win. It was more a matter of who stunk up the joint least.

Missed layups, bad passes, and ill-advised shots make up the myriad of images flowing through my mind as I remember this game. And that's without thinking about the 38 points they gave up in the fourth quarter.

The best way to describe this game is like watching my two-year-old daughter color a picture in her coloring book. By the time she's done—sure the picture is finished, but no one except her father is going to want to show it off.

Pickin' up what I'm puttin' down here, folks?

These Lakers are nothing to jump and shout about at this point. In fact, the brightest part of any kind of silver lining is that it's only December. It may be a gut-wrenching month of wondering just what will happen tonight, but this kind of train-wreck attraction isn't exactly what this fan was hoping for.

Something has to make a team come together and want to get better. Phil Jackson hasn't found it yet. Or maybe he has and he's waiting for the players to find it themselves—a strategy that would surprise no one.

Either way, the Lakers are must-see-TV right now for the simple fact that nothing can be taken for granted. Nothing, that is, except a Lakers opponent hanging a 30-spot on them in the fourth quarter.

Lakers Beat the 76ers, but Have Fourth Quarter Defensive Lapse

Keith Grieve — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 22:44:53 -0500

It's true that a win is a win and in the end it probably doesn't matter how a team gets one.

However, lately I've been writing about whether or not this Lakers team is for real and looking for evidence that come June, I won't be facing another heartbreaking situation like last year.

Suffering only their second loss of the season two nights ago is not a big deal in the scope of trying to make the playoffs. However, how they lost it is another story.

In Philadelphia last night, the Lakers were comfortably ahead after three quarters. They still won by a double-digit margin, yet there's something nagging me about the box score.

It's the number 33.

That's the number of points the Sixers scored, and therefore Los Angeles gave up, in the fourth quarter. The Lakers were fortunate that they were able to score 29 themselves in the frame to stop the bleeding.

What if they had gone cold?

It's not a new notion that defense wins championships. We all found that out last June. And to be honest, the Lakers don't play bad defense. However, they do have a tendency to coast defensively in the fourth quarter.

Last night, they allowed 33 points. The night before, they gave up 32. Group those with the 29 and 28 points given up to Dallas and Sacramento, respectively, and you might have the makings of a perfect storm.

In the regular season, LA has enough depth to usually score enough to offset any late outburst. However, in the playoffs, one cold shooting fourth quarter by Los Angeles could render the previous 80+ games meaningless.

Phil Jackson's teams are notorious for managing their effort levels and ramping it up later in the season to make sure the team has the proper energy in the tank for the playoffs.

The problem is that not all players can turn it on and off.

Lakers-Pacers: Fourth Quarter Shows Jury's Still Out on Los Angeles

Keith Grieve — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 03:30:36 -0500

The Lakers were not the only team in the NBA last night to give up 30 points in the fourth quarter.

Every team that did lost—including the Toronto Raptors, who gave up 30 points in EVERY quarter.

I have said that for the Lakers to show the world that they are serious title contenders, they should win this game (among others). I still stand by that statement.

For all the strides the Lakers made during the course of last season culminating in the trade that brought Pau Gasol over from the Memphis Grizzlies, the one thing that kept them from an NBA Championship was defense.

That sore spot reared its ugly head again last night in Indiana, giving up a 15-point lead and an ungodly 32 points in the last frame.

Indiana still needed to a tip in at the buzzer to win, but if you're going to claim you're ready to hoist another banner you can't—repeat: cannot—play like this in the fourth quarter.

Scanning the box score shows a typical Laker output, aside from coming up short behind the line and leaving 12 points at the foul line.

However, a 15-point lead going into the fourth quarter should be safe for any team trying to stake a claim to the throne. Let's not even get into the fact that it happened against a team that was 6-10 going in to the game.

And no, you can't use the 'it's only December' excuse and you can't take comfort in the fact that the Pacers also beat the Celtics.

To paraphrase Vince Lombardi, you need to do things right all the time. Not some of the time. Not when it's convenient or when you absolutely have to.

A true winner does what is needed to come out on top all the time.

Until this Laker team does that, everyone just keep your excitement in check.

Tonight's game is in Philadelphia. We'll learn something more about this team and the kind of effort and performance they put up. Philadelphia is coming off an overtime win against the Bulls and travelling almost the same distance so the teams should be fairly even as far as fatigue is concerned.

A Laker win, and we can all start to get a little excited. Another loss, and we're one step closer to where we were in June: wondering just what kind of team this bunch really is.

Los Angeles Lakers Roundup

Keith Grieve — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 04:45:03 -0500

Anyone happen to catch that Laker-Mavs game last night?

Anyone else notice another game the Lakers were trailing in and somehow come out with a win?

Yeah, I know they were at home and Dallas is a team that no one really knows what to expect from, but they were on a five game winning streak coming in.

Next up Toronto on Sunday. Let's see if this is a let down or Kobe and Company keep the business as usual mindset they seem to have so far. The Pistons game is the only exception I have seen. Any thoughts?

Speaking of let down, have you seen the schedule for the next week or so? After the Raptors come to town, they travel to Indiana, Philadelphia, and Washington before coming home to face the Bucks. They then take a jaunt to No-Cal for a game against the Kings before facing off against the Suns on December 10.

If this team is for real, then nothing less than winning all 6 of those games should transpire.

In fact, I see no more than three (counting the Suns) possible losses between now and the Christmas Day showdown with the Celtics. Mark my words, if they roll into that game with three or fewer losses on their record they will be in the NBA Finals.

Barring injuries of course.

Apparently Devean George, now with the Mavericks, used to open his mouth regularly while still with the Lakers that he couldn't wait to go to another team and lock Kobe down.

How'd that work out for you, Devean?

How about this rule: if you come from a D-III school, you are prohibited from talking any kind of trash to one the all-time greats? I think it's fair.

Andrew Bynum has a bone spur in his right foot. After hours of trying to find a San Antonio joke, I give up. (Spurs—get it?) He finished with a double-double last night, but as his spur goes so does the Lakers.

Remember in the Finals last year when they were all kinds of twinkie soft in the middle? Yeah, those days are a distant memory as long as Bynum's in there.

I did mention I can't wait for Christmas Day, didn't I?

The Best Solution for Allen Iverson and Stephon Marbury

Keith Grieve — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 02:02:03 -0500

In light of the recent developments of the tragic figures of Allen Iverson and Stephon Marbury, I have come up with a solution.

Players like these, that have no concept of the fact they are not the center of the universe, deserve to be punished by being traded to the basketball equivalent of hell.

A place where it won't matter if they practice because they're chances of winning anything will be remote.

I'm speaking of the Memphis Grizzlies.

Marbury is the most troublesome of the two to me. He came out of Georgia Tech after one year because he wanted to take care of his family.

Honorable, sure. However he was drafted by Minnesota Timberwolves and almost instantly began complaining about the cold environment up north. It didn't matter that he was paired with Kevin Garnett, he needed to play elsewhere.

So he was traded....and traded....and traded....until he ended up in the hallowed halls of Madison Square Garden playing for his beloved Knicks. However, this was not your father's Knicks team.

And now he apparently refused to play. Marbury has denied the charge but who do you believe?

I know who I'm siding with, but I'll keep it to myself.

Mr. Iverson on the other hand decided he did not need to practice with his new team.

Stop me if you've heard this before.

Iverson and Marbury are two classic examples of wasted talent. For all the accolades each has garnered throughout their careers, neither one has been able to win anything of consequence.

I'm sure you can point to a million other factors, however you can't tell me their inability to think globally hasn't played a part in their wasted careers.

The problem with my solution is that there is no chance the Grizzlies would want these guys. They're tainted goods, attractive only to the most desperate team that would be willing to throw principles out the proverbial window.

Maybe Oklahoma City would be a better fit.

Lakers Showing That They're the Real Deal in Los Angeles

Keith Grieve — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 01:40:52 -0500

The Los Angeles Lakers have everything they need to win a championship.

Right now.

They are leading the league in scoring per game, and while they're "only" sixth in points allowed per game, they're also leading the league in point differential.

They are winning games they probably shouldn't. The first Dallas game comes to mind where they were not firing on all cylinders yet somehow managed to pull away.

They have four players averaging double figures, one of which is F Lamar Odom who isn't even a starter.

They have three more players averaging 9+ per game.

Andrew Bynum isn't playing 30 minutes per game, yet averaging 2.38 blocks.

Vladimir Radmanovic and Derek Fisher are both shooting better than 40 percent from behind the arc.

And you thought there would be issues fitting Pau Gasol with Bynum an Odom.

There hasn't really been too many tough tests yet, however they did find a way to beat Dallas. They put up 111 points on Houston, who currently is the top defensive team. They handled Phoenix, yet lost to Detroit on the road.

Tonight a hot Mavericks team strolls into the Staples Center, winners of their last five games. A Laker win, albeit at home, will give us a little more indication of whether or not they're for real while we salivate for the Christmas Day matchup with the Celtics.

So far, I don't see much to make me think they're not.

Bears Win How and When They Have To

Keith Grieve — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 15:53:07 -0400

It is an old sports cliche that a win is a win and it doesn't matter how you get it. No one can argue the validity of that statement.

However, if you're trying to gauge just how far these Chicago Bears have come from the debacle that was last season, you can't be happy with just adding one to the win column.

At 1:00 EST, we still weren't sure which Bears team would show up. Would it be the team that played with a purpose against Indianapolis in week one and again against Philadelphia in week four? Or would it be the team that wilted in the fourth quarter waiting for the defense to turn it on?

Sunday's 34-7 drubbing of the woeful Detroit Lions was a game the Bears should have won. For all their issues, they are a lot closer than the Lions to being a contender. (Wow, just how bad is it in Detroit?)

What gives fans hope is the fact that quarterback Kyle Orton had the game of his life, running back Matt Forte looks like the real deal, and the defense was what we expected.

What gives fans cause for concern is that quarterback Kyle Orton had the game of his life, running back Matt Forte looks like the real deal, and the defense was what we expected.

The Bears split their plays right down the middle, 34 runs and 34 passes. Orton played flawlessly. That's good, because he had to since the running game was busy amassing a whopping 97 yards on those carries.

Still, Forte found his way into the end zone twice, which makes you wonder what he could do behind an offensive line that is, well, offensive.

The defense obviously kept the Lions in check, but there is a reason the Lions are 0-5. They were playing from behind as soon as the introductions ended, and if they did not have to rely on Jon Kitna the outcome may have been different. Rookie running back Kevin Smith and newly acquired Rudi Johnson averaged 4.2 yards per carry. The problem was that they only ran the ball 13 times.

At the end of the day, anything that doesn't drop the Bears further behind in this muddled division is a major moral victory. Let's not go crazy with the back slapping just yet.

A truer test is coming up next week against the Atlanta Falcons, who seem capable of running the ball fairly well with newcomer Michael Turner.

Are the Falcons the barometer to measure the Bears' progress by? Probably not.

They are, however, a team that plays like an NFL team. They are not the Colts with a rusty Peyton Manning or the Eagles playing without Brian Westbrook.

They are an up-and-coming team with the top running game, a strong armed quarterback, and a middle of the road defense. That's a 'trap game' if I ever saw one.

So far this year, the Bears have produced victories when they've needed to. They set the tone in week one, answered some questions in week four, and won a game they were supposed to win in week five.

Week six will tell us just how serious these Bears really are.