Some Assorted Bears News

I know this off season hasn't been as dismal as others in the past, but forgive me if I'm not doing cartwheels about Chicago baseball. Hockey season is still on (if you're a Wolves fan) and the Bulls are playing some surprising basketball, but this is a Bears town, son, so yeah, I was glad Tank got out in 60 days. Yes, I'm nervous about how long he'll get suspended. There's other sports and then there's the Bears.

So there's this news that the Bears have already signed a draft pick, and the recent headline that the Bears are moving Hester to offense that need to be explored. So let's make like Christopher Walken and explore the space.

Give the Bears a lot of credit. They're focused on getting guys in and signed, and this is evidence of a disciplined front office. They're all focused and pulling in the same direction, which is getting back to that big game again. It's little things that win championships, and when an organization has this kind of focus from the top down, it carries through to the players.

On the Hester move… I don't know. I think you let the guy play defense if he wants to. Will he take less of a beating as a receiver? Maybe, but then again maybe not. I don't know that there's a long, rich history of successful moves from one side of the ball to the other. Nothing jumps out at me as being a shining example of how these moves pay off. But I'm going to trust the pros on this one and sit back and enjoy it (or criticize it, if my misgivings are validated).

Draft Recap

Well, really, more like "Draft Opinion" but you get the idea.

Overall, I'm neutral on the draft. I know that the Bears do a good job finding "day 1" contributors, so I'm hopeful we'll have a couple of guys fighting for starting jobs from the get-go.

Round 1: Olsen is scary fast according to this link. For a guy that size to move that fast just doesn't seem possible. Speed rules in the NFL, so he fits the mold. He probably needs a year of weight training to put on some necessary size and learn the ropes, but he'll have a good teacher in Des, so this is a pretty good pick.

Round 2: The Bears draft Dan Hampton. S'cuse me, Dan Bazuin. I like this pick, but this is my favorite type of player - a guy who plays every down like it might be his last. Might be better than the first round guy.

Round 3: Wolfe and Okwo. Okwo will probably be an immediate addition to special teams. Wolfe is sort of a gamble, but the Bears have made picks like him work, so if he winds up being a poor man's Reggie Bush, I won't mind a bit.

Later rounds: I don't note much special in the later rounds (so when one of them is starting later this year, you'll understand why I'm in Commercial Banking and not scouting), except the freakish size of this guy.

Overall, though, I'm feeling neutral on this draft. No disappointments, no gasping at genius. Not too shabby for the Super Bowl runner-up, I might add.

Rites of Spring

Although the last week has been completely crappy weather, spring is here. You know it, I know it, the American people know it. If only Mother Nature would get her act together, the daffodils would open up and the trees would start sprouting leaves.

But Mother Nature can't stop the NFL Draft, which is just around the corner. I get such a huge kick out of the pre-draft guess work that passes as sports journalism. I think Yahoo's expert has had something like 50 mock drafts so far. Yes, I read them, you got a problem with that?

In the meantime, Pat you should link up that YouTube rant collaboration you showed me on Easter. That was a riot.