Time for Bears to clean house
MUNDELEIN — What I saw and heard Thursday night was enough of an indictment of the Bears to think about backing up the truck. While some of the faithful choose to cling to their quixotic thoughts that this is a good team, many others see them as something less and getting worse.
In the simplest terms, this team can’t run and doesn’t stop the run, and until the Bears figure this out they’re going nowhere. A complete overhaul is needed, in personnel and philosophy. Lovie Smith’s refusal to evolve has really cost them, and getting a “yes man” to replace Ron Rivera is not looking too good now, is it? During Thursday’s game, NFL Network analyst Chris Collinsworth stated that the Bears’ offense was “unprofessional” as it moved backward on a “march” to the end zone. If you’re an offensive coordinator you would have to be pretty angry upon hearing that. In Ron Turner’s defense, it’s not like there are a lot of weapons to work with as the general manager has struck out far too many times in the first round. They’re 5-8 and going backward … man, what a great feeling.
— Ken Freedman
Orton’s time is now
CHICAGO — The Bears need a 6-foot-4-inch to 6-5 quarterback with a strong arm and an excellent college pedigree. Fortunately, they have one in Kyle Orton, from a passing program at Purdue. Unfortunately, they are too dumb or stubborn to play him. That was a mistake the Ravens made twice: once with running back Priest Holmes, who went on to star for the Chiefs, and the second time with quarterback Derek Anderson, who was cut by Baltimore and is tearing up the league with the Browns. I hope the Bears come to their senses and start Orton in the remaining games to see what they have.
— Scott Sargis
Miller no Hall of Famer
SOUTH BEND — I don’t share Phil Rogers’ indignation at Marvin Miller’s failure to be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame (Tribune, Dec. 4). The game I loved and had access to as a kid has evolved into a callous and gluttonous monster. Miller made an integral contribution to the change.
Today’s players are mercenaries who make insane amounts of money to play a game. Their perception and that of writers like Rogers is the money comes from rich owners/corporations. No, it comes from people willing to shell out $45 for bleacher seats to watch legalized boredom. There is a complete disconnect between the players and the fans. Players won’t sign autographs for kids after games, a practice that used to be a tradition. Of course, after a three-hour workday, the players are tired and have more pressing matters to tend to than investing time in a child who may become a lifetime fan.
Open a Modern Age Baseball Hall of Fame for Marvin Miller, Barry Bonds*, Bowie Kuhn and friends if it will make Rogers happy. Las Vegas would be a good location. Charge $45 for admission.
— Phil Sullivan
Glad Sox struck out on Hunter
GENEVA — Why am I reading and hearing so much angst over the White Sox’s failure to sign Torii Hunter?
Before last season, a computer model predicted the Sox would win only 72 games, even though they had won 90 the previous season and 99 in 2005. People scoffed at the thought. One of the model’s designers was interviewed about the prediction, and he explained that the results are based on objective criteria, one of which is the number of key players on a team who are in or fast approaching their mid-30s. Statistics have shown that players in this age range experience a considerable reduction in performance. Apparently enough Sox players fit this profile, because they did in fact win 72.
So now we go back to Hunter, God’s gift to baseball, at least in Angels owner Arte Moreno’s mind. Hunter will be 33 next season, and 38 by the time his contract is over. Hunter fits the profile that knocked the Sox down to 72 wins last season. For anyone to pay him $18 million per year is ludicrous and patently stupid, and I’m thankful that the Sox did not.
— Ed Nowinski
Go back to old bowl system
LAKE FOREST — Kudos to Teddy Greenstein for his excellent column favoring the much maligned BCS system for determining a national champion over a playoff format which would extend the season even further into January (Tribune, Dec. 1).
Yet there are many of us in the Midwest and on the West Coast who would prefer a return to the former Bowl system over either of these alternatives.
We could always count on a Rose Bowl featuring the Big Ten champ vs. the Pac-10 champ, regardless of where these two teams ranked nationally.
Our somewhat provincial view is essentially to let the red states in the ACC, SEC, and Big 12 conferences fight it out over who’s No. 1 in their universe and give us back our Rose Bowl between the two best teams from the two best conferences in the country, academically and otherwise.
— Bob Karlblom
NFL rules colleges
WHEATON — Teddy Greenstein serves up a healthy dose of hyperbole in his column on the popularity of college football and supporting the current BCS format.
I agree with Greenstein’s assertion that the 2007 college football season has been exciting and that the current BCS format has debatable merit versus a proposed playoff system.
But it is ludicrous for him to compare the popularity of pro football (sans gambling and fantasy football) to rodeo.
Wondering about pro football’s true popularity? Ask the 60,000-plus fans at Soldier Field when Devin Hester returns a kick for a TD or the fans in Indianapolis pleading for their Colts to stop Tom Brady’s fourth-quarter heroics or the fans at an NFL stadium or in front of the tube on “any given Sunday.”
You can also bet and play fantasy football at the college level, although my colleague’s participation in a MAC fantasy league is just not right.
— Drew Masse
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