Famous Jan. 9 Birthdays

Chad Ocho Cinco - 1978

Muggsy Bogues - 1965

Radek Bonk - 1976

Sergio Garcia - 1980

Mark Fodor - 1984

Michael Beasley - 1989

Herd’s Logic Sucks

I know a lot of people do not like Colin Cowherd’s show, but I enjoy it for the most part. He talks a lot of football and specifically college football. If you listen to the show you know Colin is accused of being a SEC and Southern Cal homer. I don’t think he’s a homer, but he does like to talk about those schools and why there the best, which they have been for the decade. For the most part, I don’t like hearing his arguments, but can’t say anything because the Big Ten, ACC, Big East and Big XII haven’t backed it up on the field. However, today, on his show, he had some very dumb comments.

Colin was comparing BCS records of each conference and it shows that SEC is the best, ACC is terrible and the Big Ten right in the middle. A caller comes on and says, “Colin, the one item you are dismissing is the Big Ten travels to Southern Cal and has to play Southern Cal (aguably the best team of the 00s) while the SEC gets to play in the Sugar Bowl against lesser competition like Hawai’i and Notre Dame.”

I find these two points to be very good points, Big Ten plays best team in land every year, while SEC stays home and beats up lesser teams because the Sugar Bowl only has 1 tie in. Not to mention the year Ohio State played Louisiana State in Louisiana.

Colin to dismiss this thought goes, “Alamaba had to travel across the country while Texas only had to go 800 miles.” Umm what? Austin is 1,400 miles away almost twice as much as he said. Maybe El Paso is only 800 miles, but Texas is a huge state. Tuscaloosa is 1,700 miles. So 300 mile difference isn’t that bad.

He followed that up with, “Florida played Ohio State in Arizona. Columbus to Glendale is a quick flight, it’s across country for Florida.” A quick flight to Glendale? It’s 1900 miles, Gainesville is 2000. What the hell is he talking about? Ooooo the adversity for Florida to go to Glendale, they had to travel an extra 100 miles (which via plane is what 20 minutes) because Columbus and Arizona are neighbors. Stop talking a listening to a good argument for once in your life Colin. And if you are going to dismiss one so easily, know the facts.

NBA Jam Returns

According to this article on ESPN.com EA sports has annouced it is going to bring back NBA Jam. I think this is a fantastic idea. The 2 on 2 basketball games have always been some of my favorite, and I still think this game could work today. There is a semblance of real basketball, but we all loved the dunks and then lighting the net on fire.

That annoucement led to this article discussing some other 80s games that need to come back.

Bears Coaching Shakeup

ESPN's Adam Schefter is reporting that Lovie Smith will be back to coach the Bears next year. ESPN Radio 1000 and the Chicago Tribune are reporting that Ron Turner will not be back with the Bear's next season. ESPN Radio 1000 and the Chicago Tribune are also reporting Rod Marinelli is now the defensive coordinator.

With Turner gone the discussion turns to who will replace him. Names being mentioned included Mike Martz, Charlie Weis and Mike Leach.

Trivia: Most FBS Wins in the 00s.

Which school had the most FBS wins in the 00s. I'll give you a hint, it's not IU!

Now that the Bears 2009 season is over time to look at 2010 Opponents.

Even though we are months away from the NFL officially releasing the schedule, as of today, we know the Bears are going to play. We also know what games are going to be home and what games are away. How do we know this? The NFL schedule is predetermined years in advance. Each NFL team plays 6 games against division opponents. One home game and one road game against each. Each division is then scheduled to play all four teams of another division in their conference and out of their conference. In 2010, the NFC North will be playing the AFC East and NFC East. The remaining two games are determined by each teams place in their division from the previous season. Each team will play games against teams that finish in the same place as them in the other two conference divisions that their division isn’t playing. The Bears finished third in the NFC North, so they will play the third place teams in NFC South and NFC West which are the Carolina Panthers and Seattle Seahawks respectively. CBS breakdowns each teams opponents here.


Here are my quick thoughts for each game.

Division – 6 Games


Detroit (Home and Road): Detroit is still fully in rebuilding mode. They will continue to build around Stafford and Calvin Johnson and whoever they get with their 2nd pick in this spring’s draft. They should be better next year, and will hopefully have better games to watch then week 17’s snooze fest.

Green Bay (Home and Road): It’s Bears vs Packers in the oldest rivalry in the NFL, so we know what we are getting ourselves into. This game has been put in primetime a lot, I wouldn’t be surprised if one of these games is put there as well.

Minnesota (Home and Road): Ideally, the Bears can get the dome sweet dome Vikings to come to Chicago late in the season and use the weather to their advantage especially since Brett Favre has been performing poorly the cold weather.


NFC East – 4 Games

Dallas (Away): Cowboys are division winners and a playoff team in 2009. Bears playing in the Death Star or Jerry’s world or whatever you want to call Cowboys Stadium would be a good reason to actually take the trip down and see the Bears on the road.

New York (Away): Which Giants team will show up next year, the team that had the 5-0 start or the Giants that limped to the finish. The Giants will be playing in a new stadium next year and no, the Bears will not be returning there to play the Jets.

Philadelphia (Home): It seems like the Bears play the Eagles every year at home on the lake front, and it always seems to be a primetime game. So until I hear otherwise, I am just going to assume this happens again for the McNabb homecoming.

Washington (Home): Washington will have a new coach in 2010 and could potentially be the first meeting between Cutler and Shanahan.


AFC East – 4 Games

Buffalo (Away): I personally would love to see the Bears go to Buffalo late in the season and have a snow game like what the Bills and Colts played in Week 17.

Miami (Away): Miami plays smash mouth power football which would challenge the Bears Defense. Jake Long is a treat to watch blocking. If you decide to take the trip to south beach, be sure to sing this song.

New England (Home): The team of the 00’s coming into town is as close to a must see game as there is. Hopefully Tom Brady won’t juke Brian Urlacher this time.

New York (Home): Buddy Ryan’s son comes back to Chicago coaching a blitz happy defense. I will be interested to see how many times will Cutler throw Revis’ way?


3rd Place in NFC South – 1 Game

Carolina (Away): After getting a bye in the playoffs in 2008, Carolina took a nose dive in 2009. If Delhomme is still playing, we can wager on which QB has more turnovers.


3rd Place in the NFC West – 1 Game

Seattle (Home): Seattle is another team the Bears seem to play a lot. I’d much rather play them in Soldier Field then the loud and sometimes distracting Qwest Field.


Bears Schedule includes.

8 games against teams that made the playoffs in 2009
3 games in domes/retractable roofs