The term loser is not meant to be flattering. In the sports world, it is definitely not flattering. There are franchises always associated with losing such as the Clippers in the NBA, the Lions and Browns in the NFL, and the Chicago Cubs in baseball. Living in the city of the last team mentioned, you would think they were competing for the World Series trophy every year; when in fact it is quite the opposite.
The Chicago Cubs have not won a World Series title since 1908. That is 102 years. Every year Cubs "fans" enter the month of April with the same optimism and hope that this is or could be "their year." I use the quotes around fans because anyone who knows a lick about the game of baseball or the Cubs or winning knows their team is far from desirable and optimism is usually lost by July. As the phrase goes, Completely Useless By September. The stadium around the time of the first pitch usually becomes a big frathouse with people wondering if this Castro kid is related to Fidel or when Sammy Sosa bats. Those questions are usually followed with an order of four more Old Styles.
The word lovable should not be associated with the word loser at any point, which leads me to my next question. What is so lovable about them? Lou Piniella, who was once a revered manager with Seattle and the New York Yankees, nearly lost his mind by the end of his tenure with the Cubs. Their ace Carlos Zambrano perhaps? Probably not. Along with his one-time battery mate Michael Barrett, he has been known to beat up Gatorade coolers, bat holders, Derrek Lee, and whatever else he could get his hands on. He also left the team halfway through the season for psychological evaluations. That's exactly who you want your kids looking up to. What about their new owners? The ones who said they won't get involved in business matters, but only oversee the organization. They're not "baseball guys." Maybe they shouldn't have bought the most disappointing franchise in the history of the game. They have done nothing to improve the product in the field or in the stands. The bathrooms have horse troughs in them, the seats are falling apart, and the ramps to get to your seats will soon be more of a hazard than a help. But at least they got to do an episode of Undercover Boss. A so-called legend of the franchise was screwed out of a managerial position and is now managing a AAA affiliate in Philadelphia. Don't even get me started on their contract writing capabilities.
I'm not trying to convince you to switch teams or question your fanhood. I'm just trying to state the facts. The failures of the franchise cannot be blamed on a guy named Bartman, a corked bat, or bad contracts. The product on the field is just not good. Maybe love is blind. True Cubs fans will not trade their loyalty or love for their team no matter what. I will give them credit for that. Being a life long Sox fan I've had plenty of frustration but the joy of seeing your team win the World Series is almost incomparable. At what point do you say enough is enough? It has been over a century since the Cubs have won a title. They have seen managers, players, and personnel come and go. Maybe I just can't see the joy of watching "my team" disappoint year in and year out. Or maybe I just haven't experienced my team losing year in and year out. I give the real fans credit for sticking by their team through thick and thin. Maybe its the newbies that stumble into Wrigley Field from Full Shilling or Murphy's that I have questions for. I would ask them, but I probably wouldn't understand them. I also wouldn't want them to miss Sammy Sosa's first at-bat of the day.
-Joe Tichy
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Reality Check
Most critics and analysts (including this analyst in training) picked the NFC North Champion Chicago Bears to finish below .500 and in third place behind the Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers. After an 0-4 preseason in which Jay Cutler spent more time on his back than on his feet, how could you blame them? As of Monday night, the Bears are the NFC North Champs. How did they get there? Luck, that's how. Does their team lack talent? Nope. Do they lack skill? In some aspects but what team doesn't. Let's break down their season, shall we?
Game 1-Detroit: 19-14 victory. Charles Johnson caught what would have been the game winning touchdown but a replay showed he didn't "complete the process of a catch." A catch has always been defined to me as two feet on the ground with the player maintaining possession and making a football move. Johnson did all of this but used the ball to push himself back up onto two feet. Apparently, that is the only time a catch isn't a catch. Never again has this call been made this season to my knowledge in any game.
Game 2-Dallas: 27-20 victory. Solid win with Cutler receiving his highest QB rating as a Bear.
Game 3-Green Bay: 20-17 victory. Twelve Green Bay starters on IR including starting running back Ryan Grant. Green Bay committed a team record eighteen penalties. I challenge you to show me a team who doesn't win a game when the opponent commits that many penalties. The Bears would only win on a late FG by Robbie Gould.
Game 4-NY Giants: 17-3 loss. A HEALTHY Giants team sacked Cutler nine times in the first half and would not see him return after Cutler was diagnosed with a concussion.
Game 5-Carolina: 23-6 victory. Cutler out, Collins gets pulled. Defense shines against THIRD STRING ROOKIE quarterback Jimmy Claussen.
Game 6-Seattle: 23-20 loss. HEALTHY Seattle team beats Bears at home. 0 for 12 on third down against a pass defense ranked 31st in the NFL.
Game 7-Washington: 17-14 loss. HEALTHY Redskins team beats Bears at home. D'angelo Hall picks off Cutler four times and Cutler loses fumble at the goal line.
Game 8-Buffalo: 22-19 victory. Bears beat a winless Buffalo team.
This concludes the first half of the season in which the Bears had the 4th easiest schedule in the league.
Game 9-Minnesota: 27-13 victory. Bears outplayed Vikings plain and simple in all three phases. Quality victory
Game 10-Miami: 16-0 victory. Third string quarterback Tyler Thigpen gets his first start since 2008. Brandon Marshall leaves with an injury.
Game 11-Philadelphia: 31-26 victory. Star cornerback Asante Samuel ruled out with an injury. Bears narrowly escape onside kick recovery.
Game 12-Detroit: 24-20 victory. Game winning play set up by another questionable call. This time it was a personal foul penalty on Ndamukong Suh for a tackle made on Cutler. Also, another third string quarterback gets the start for a team that was 2-9 at the time.
Game 13-New England: 36-7 loss. HEALTHY New England team comes to Soldier Field in "Bear Weather" and runs rampant on them.
Game 14-Minnesota: 40-14 victory. Adrian Peterson ruled out. Brett Favre gets the start so the Vikes could have a chance. Nope, he gets knocked out after twenty minutes. Third string QB Joe Webb sees his first action ever in a regular season NFL game. Pro Bowl lineman Steve Hutchinson also ruled out and a rookie takes his place.
The key to the Bears season hasn't been the play of their offense. Matt Forte and Chester Taylor have been average at best. Jay Cutler's rating is below 90. Their line has improved, but is nowhere near good. The defense has been consistent but has faltered against healthy teams. The other reason the Bears have succeeded is their health. They have put their first team out there all year. With the exception of Green Bay, all teams making the playoffs in the NFC are completely healthy. Let's see how they shape up against those teams especially with a quarterback who has never appeared in the postseason. Call me a pessimist or call me wrong, but you can't help but question what would have happened had all these teams been putting their best teams out there. Beat your chest and sing "Bear Down" for your team has beaten depleted team after depleted team. Let the comments begin.
-Joe Tichy
Game 1-Detroit: 19-14 victory. Charles Johnson caught what would have been the game winning touchdown but a replay showed he didn't "complete the process of a catch." A catch has always been defined to me as two feet on the ground with the player maintaining possession and making a football move. Johnson did all of this but used the ball to push himself back up onto two feet. Apparently, that is the only time a catch isn't a catch. Never again has this call been made this season to my knowledge in any game.
Game 2-Dallas: 27-20 victory. Solid win with Cutler receiving his highest QB rating as a Bear.
Game 3-Green Bay: 20-17 victory. Twelve Green Bay starters on IR including starting running back Ryan Grant. Green Bay committed a team record eighteen penalties. I challenge you to show me a team who doesn't win a game when the opponent commits that many penalties. The Bears would only win on a late FG by Robbie Gould.
Game 4-NY Giants: 17-3 loss. A HEALTHY Giants team sacked Cutler nine times in the first half and would not see him return after Cutler was diagnosed with a concussion.
Game 5-Carolina: 23-6 victory. Cutler out, Collins gets pulled. Defense shines against THIRD STRING ROOKIE quarterback Jimmy Claussen.
Game 6-Seattle: 23-20 loss. HEALTHY Seattle team beats Bears at home. 0 for 12 on third down against a pass defense ranked 31st in the NFL.
Game 7-Washington: 17-14 loss. HEALTHY Redskins team beats Bears at home. D'angelo Hall picks off Cutler four times and Cutler loses fumble at the goal line.
Game 8-Buffalo: 22-19 victory. Bears beat a winless Buffalo team.
This concludes the first half of the season in which the Bears had the 4th easiest schedule in the league.
Game 9-Minnesota: 27-13 victory. Bears outplayed Vikings plain and simple in all three phases. Quality victory
Game 10-Miami: 16-0 victory. Third string quarterback Tyler Thigpen gets his first start since 2008. Brandon Marshall leaves with an injury.
Game 11-Philadelphia: 31-26 victory. Star cornerback Asante Samuel ruled out with an injury. Bears narrowly escape onside kick recovery.
Game 12-Detroit: 24-20 victory. Game winning play set up by another questionable call. This time it was a personal foul penalty on Ndamukong Suh for a tackle made on Cutler. Also, another third string quarterback gets the start for a team that was 2-9 at the time.
Game 13-New England: 36-7 loss. HEALTHY New England team comes to Soldier Field in "Bear Weather" and runs rampant on them.
Game 14-Minnesota: 40-14 victory. Adrian Peterson ruled out. Brett Favre gets the start so the Vikes could have a chance. Nope, he gets knocked out after twenty minutes. Third string QB Joe Webb sees his first action ever in a regular season NFL game. Pro Bowl lineman Steve Hutchinson also ruled out and a rookie takes his place.
The key to the Bears season hasn't been the play of their offense. Matt Forte and Chester Taylor have been average at best. Jay Cutler's rating is below 90. Their line has improved, but is nowhere near good. The defense has been consistent but has faltered against healthy teams. The other reason the Bears have succeeded is their health. They have put their first team out there all year. With the exception of Green Bay, all teams making the playoffs in the NFC are completely healthy. Let's see how they shape up against those teams especially with a quarterback who has never appeared in the postseason. Call me a pessimist or call me wrong, but you can't help but question what would have happened had all these teams been putting their best teams out there. Beat your chest and sing "Bear Down" for your team has beaten depleted team after depleted team. Let the comments begin.
-Joe Tichy
Monday, December 20, 2010
2010 NFC North Division Champions
For the third time in six years, Lovie Smith and the Chicago Bears are going back to the playoffs. Yes, the Chicago Bears. In a season where the Green Bay Packers, led by the impeccable Aaron Rodgers, were the perennial favorites for the division and representatives of the NFC in Dallas, it is the often criticized Jay Cutler who will hope to take his team to south Texas in February. Even the Minnesota Vikings, who were one play from reaching the Super Bowl in a heart wrenching NFC Championship loss last season, were given better odds at making the playoffs than Chicago. But on a cold Monday night in Minnesota, the Bears beat the Vikings at the University of Minnesota's TCF Bank Stadium, clinching the NFC North in a game filled with all sorts of history.
Devin Hester became the all time leader in kickoff and punt returns for touchdowns (14), accomplishing this impressive feat in only his fifth season. Brett Favre, who was not even listed as the starting QB for the Vikings on Sunday, started the game but left in the first half after being thrown to the turf by Bears rookie Corey Wootton. Also for only the third time since 1989, the Bears scored 40 points in a road victory. The Bears next step will be to finish the regular season with the New York Jets coming to Soldier Field in week 16.
The Jets, who were told starting QB Mark Sanchez will be able to start, as his MRI came back Monday, are looking for the AFC wild-card berth when they visit the lake front. For now, the Bears will savor this victory, but even Lovie Smith will remind the media and his team, that the season is not over and the Bears still have to take care of business next week.
Devin Hester became the all time leader in kickoff and punt returns for touchdowns (14), accomplishing this impressive feat in only his fifth season. Brett Favre, who was not even listed as the starting QB for the Vikings on Sunday, started the game but left in the first half after being thrown to the turf by Bears rookie Corey Wootton. Also for only the third time since 1989, the Bears scored 40 points in a road victory. The Bears next step will be to finish the regular season with the New York Jets coming to Soldier Field in week 16.
The Jets, who were told starting QB Mark Sanchez will be able to start, as his MRI came back Monday, are looking for the AFC wild-card berth when they visit the lake front. For now, the Bears will savor this victory, but even Lovie Smith will remind the media and his team, that the season is not over and the Bears still have to take care of business next week.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Heat Wave?
Washington x2
Detroit
Cleveland x2
Atlanta
Milwaukee
Utah
Golden State
Sacramento
New Orleans
New York
This is the list of the teams that the Heat have beaten on their current twelve game win streak. Their record combined is 116-153. Don't get me wrong, a twelve-game win streak is impressive in any sport. They did not face the like of Orlando, Boston, Oklahoma City, San Antonio, etc. The team has definitely looked better and more comfortable with each other on the court. They have a good test tomorrow against Dallas and an even better test against the defending champs on Christmas Day.
I still have them pegged as a three seed in the East and losing out to Orlando in the conference finals. I wouldn't count out Boston though. They have shown me a lot early on this season in spite of their age. Once playoff time comes around, chemistry is key. If there is a team that knows each other better than Boston in the East, I challenge you to find them. Get your fix and give me your thoughts people. See you soon.
Detroit
Cleveland x2
Atlanta
Milwaukee
Utah
Golden State
Sacramento
New Orleans
New York
This is the list of the teams that the Heat have beaten on their current twelve game win streak. Their record combined is 116-153. Don't get me wrong, a twelve-game win streak is impressive in any sport. They did not face the like of Orlando, Boston, Oklahoma City, San Antonio, etc. The team has definitely looked better and more comfortable with each other on the court. They have a good test tomorrow against Dallas and an even better test against the defending champs on Christmas Day.
I still have them pegged as a three seed in the East and losing out to Orlando in the conference finals. I wouldn't count out Boston though. They have shown me a lot early on this season in spite of their age. Once playoff time comes around, chemistry is key. If there is a team that knows each other better than Boston in the East, I challenge you to find them. Get your fix and give me your thoughts people. See you soon.
Welcome!
Hello sports fans! This blog will hopefully be read by avid sports fans across the country and will hopefully spark conversation as well. Along with myself, we will hopefully have a handful of quality writers and readers contributing to this site to keep all informed and interested. Keep coming back as we will have new stuff up on a daily basis. We will cover everything from the "Big Four" sports from all over the country.
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