For Your Consideration…The Jets

Playoff football can be tough to watch when your team’s not a part of
it. Fortunately for Chicago Bears fans, we’ve had a few years to get
used to failure. As Sheryl Crow so eloquently sang: “the first cut is
the deepest.” Falling short of the postseason a year after making the
Super Bowl was heartbreaking, but each year it’s gotten less and less
painful, and less and less surprising, to watch the Monsters of the
Midway stumble into the offseason.

Sure, Jay Cutler was a bit of
a disappointment, but few Chicagoans were convinced that just adding a
Pro Bowl QB would fix a team with no number one WR, no offensive line
and an aging defense. This weekend, while the Vikings, Saints, Jets and
Colts battle for a spot in the Super Bowl, the Bears are left to search for new offensive and defensive coordinators–a process
that’s playing out about as smoothly as Lindsay Lohan’s search for a
legit movie role.

Since the Bears are out, you’ll have to find another team to root for in the playoffs. Perhaps this four-part
“For Your Consideration” series will help…

Click HERE for Part I: The Minnesota Vikings
Click HERE for Part II: The New Orleans Saints
Click HERE for Part III: The Indianapolis Colts

Part IV: The New York Jets
Let’s take a look at the pros & cons…
 

For Your Consideration…The Colts

Playoff football can be tough to watch when your team’s not a part of
it. Fortunately for Chicago Bears fans, we’ve had a few years to get
used to failure. As Sheryl Crow so eloquently sang: “the first cut is
the deepest.” Falling short of the postseason a year after making the
Super Bowl was heartbreaking, but each year it’s gotten less and less
painful, and less and less surprising, to watch the Monsters of the
Midway stumble into the offseason.

Sure, Jay Cutler was a bit of
a disappointment, but few Chicagoans were convinced that just adding a
Pro Bowl QB would fix a team with no number one WR, no offensive line
and an aging defense. This weekend, while the Vikings, Saints, Jets and
Colts battle for a spot in the Super Bowl, the Bears are left to search for new offensive and defensive coordinators–a process
that’s playing out about as smoothly as Lindsay Lohan’s search for a
legit movie role.

Since the Bears are out, you’ll have to find another team to root for in the playoffs. Perhaps this four-part
“For Your Consideration” series will help…

Click HERE for Part I: The Minnesota Vikings
Click HERE for Part II: The New Orleans Saints

Part III: The Indianapolis Colts
Let’s take a look at the pros & cons…
 

For Your Consideration…The Saints

Playoff football can be tough to watch when your team’s not a part of
it. Fortunately for Chicago Bears fans, we’ve had a few years to get
used to failure. As Sheryl Crow so eloquently sang: “the first cut is
the deepest.” Falling short of the postseason a year after making the
Super Bowl was heartbreaking, but each year it’s gotten less and less
painful, and less and less surprising, to watch the Monsters of the
Midway stumble into the offseason.

Sure, Jay Cutler was a bit of
a disappointment, but few Chicagoans were convinced that just adding a
Pro Bowl QB would fix a team with no number one WR, no offensive line
and an aging defense. This weekend, while the Vikings, Saints, Jets and
Colts battle for a spot in the Super Bowl, the Bears are left to search for new offensive and defensive coordinators–a process
that’s playing out about as smoothly as Lindsay Lohan’s search for a
legit movie role.

Since the Bears are out, you’ll have to find another team to root for in the playoffs. Perhaps this four-part
“For Your Consideration” series will help…

Click HERE for Part I: The Minnesota Vikings

Part II: The New Orleans Saints
Let’s take a look at the pros & cons…
 

For Your Consideration…The Vikings

Playoff football can be tough to watch when your team’s not a part of
it. Fortunately for Chicago Bears fans, we’ve had a few years to get
used to failure. As Sheryl Crow so eloquently sang: “the first cut is
the deepest.” Falling short of the postseason a year after making the
Super Bowl was heartbreaking, but each year it’s gotten less and less
painful, and less and less surprising, to watch the Monsters of the
Midway stumble into the offseason.

Sure, Jay Cutler was a bit of
a disappointment, but few Chicagoans were convinced that just adding a
Pro Bowl QB would fix a team with no number one WR, no offensive line
and an aging defense. This weekend, while the Vikings, Saints, Jets and
Colts battle for a spot in the Super Bowl, the Bears are left to search for new offensive and defensive coordinators–a process
that’s playing out about as smoothly as Lindsay Lohan’s search for a
legit movie role.

Since the Bears are out, you’ll have to find another team to root for in the playoffs. Perhaps this four-part
“For Your Consideration” series will help…

Part I: The Minnesota Vikings
Let’s take a look at the pros & cons…
(be sure to scroll down past the slideshow for the biggest con of them all!)

Getting Over The Hump: The Wednesday Link Dump

Moist tidbits from the interwebs to get you through the tail end
of your Wednesday afternoon.

•Does it get any better than a desktop Zamboni? I say no. [Puck Daddy]

•Your nightlife activities broken down, from A to Z, into football terminology. Ladies–let’s all try our best never to be “the XFL.” [Pigskin Doctors]

•Jeremy Roenick’s always-sharp tongue finds a new target in Cristobal Huet. [Chicago Breaking Sports News/Waddle & Silvy]

MJ Asks Leno What We’re All Thinking: “Are You Stupid??”

Like the fair and balanced “news” reporter that I am, I feel I should give Jay Leno his due time in my coverage of the Late Night Wars. Earlier I had Conan talking Cubs, now Jay counters with a Chicago tie-in of his own.

Check out this clip of Michael Jordan (sigh…dreamy) asking Leno what we’ve all been thinking for years: “Are you stupid???”

 

[HT to NSNG reader Paul Schmitz]

Conan O’Brien Throws Cubs Under The Bus

Last summer, I was in the press box at Wrigley when camera crews captured Conan O’Brien sprinting across the field for the intro of The Tonight Show‘s very first episode. Now that Conan’s job as host is just days from its premature end, he’s brought everything full-circle. Since I love him so, I’ll forgive him for throwing the Cubs under the bus during his time of need…

Apologies for the video quality…guess it might be time for a flat screen. With HD. Built say, less than a dozen years ago.

Chicago Cubs Hit Hub 51 in Support of The Ryan & Jenny Dempster Family Foundation

Sunday night after a long weekend spent at the Cubs Convention, I joined several hundred people at Hub 51 for the launch of The Ryan & Jenny Dempster Family Foundation. The Cubs pitcher and his wife started the charity to raise awareness of and support children with the 22q11.2 deletion (DiGeorge Syndrome), a genetic disorder their 10-month-old daughter Riley suffers from.

Front office bigwigs like Jim Hendry and
Crane Kenny, injured Blackhawks forward Adam Burish, a handful of
Chicago media and even former Bachelorette star Jillian Harris gathered at the
event, which featured delicious Hub 51 appetizers, an open bar, and
silent and live auctions. Governor Pat Quinn even made an appearance, joining Dempster and his wife on stage to announce that January 17th would officially be named as the Ryan & Jenny Dempster Family Foundation Day.

And of course, Dempster’s teammates showed up en masse to support him. Derrek Lee, Randy Wells, Micah Hoffpauir, Koyie Hill, Jeff Samardzija, Jeff Samardzija’s hair, Sean Marshall, Ryan Theriot, Ted Lilly, Tom Gorzelanny, John Grabow and Cubs legend Ernie Banks were all in attendance, despite a competing charity launch by Carlos Zambrano just a few blocks away at Fogo de Chao.

One wall of the restaurant was packed with silent auction items like signed jerseys, photographs and merchandise, Oprah and SNL tickets, spa days and more. Wells just missed taking home an autographed Eddie Vedder ukelele, while Grabow and Gorzelanny battled back and forth for a signed Michael Jordan jersey.

The live auction items were even more tempting, involving once in a lifetime opportunities like a private hockey lesson with Jonathan Toews at the United Center, the chance to throw out the first pitch at a Cubs game and skating at Wrigley with Dempster and Chris Chelios. But the big winner of the night was a gentleman who bid $26,000 for a private jet for eight people to go to New York to see the Cubs play the Mets, including tickets for two games, hotel and dinners.

I urge you to consider giving whatever you can to support the foundation. Dempster is truly one of the good guys and he’s deserving of and thankful for his ability to help a cause so close to home. Get more info here: www.DempsterFoundation.org.

Big thanks to super-photographer and all-around good guy Will Byington for his fantastic photos! (His are the spiffy-looking professional ones…) Check out more of his work here and don’t miss out on his must-have book for Cubs fans, “We Are Cubs Fans.”

Fans Ready For Baseball After The 25th Annual Cubs Convention

I spent all weekend at the 25th Annual Chicago Cubs Convention, snapping pictures, checking out the booths, listening to some panels and trying to get myself fired up for the 2010 Cubs. The offseason has been relatively quiet for the North Siders, with addition by subtraction (bye bye, Milton) being the only major news. Well…that and the whole new owners thing.

Reports have the team making a move for Ben Sheets, but when Lou Piniella spoke with WGN Radio’s Steve Cochran in a Saturday afternoon panel, he never mentioned the rehabbing righty. Lou spoke about the team’s search for a fourth outfielder (which may or may not end up being Reed Johnson again) and revealed that newly acquired pitcher Carlos Silva will get a chance to win the final spot in the starting rotation. (Yikes!)

Just about a month until pitchers and catchers report, so there’s plenty of time for the Cubs to make some more moves–and change their minds about Silva. As for me, the convention was just what I needed to get my head ready for baseball season. I’ve been so excited about the Blackhawks’ outstanding play and so consumed with the never-ending mess that is the Bears’ hapless coaching search, that it’s been tough to look ahead to spring.

After a couple days surrounded by players, coaches and die-hard Cubs fans, I’m sure I’m not the only one who got one step closer to hanging a “W” flag, dusting off the ol’ Cubs gear and imagining days spent soaking up the sun in the bleachers.

If you didn’t have a chance to get to the convention, check out some of what you missed…

Off To The Cubs Convention…

I’ll be out at the Cubs Convention all weekend, so if you’re there, be sure to stop me and say hi! I’m hoping to do some interviews about expectations for the upcoming season, reactions to the offseason moves (or lack thereof) and tons more, so check back Monday for all sorts of convention coverage.

For now, I’ll leave you with this… Jimmy Fallon doing Neil Young doing the newest American Idol hit, “Pants On The Ground.”