talkcarol17-blog

[talkcarol17-blog]

Eating Right: Take advantage of virtuous vegetables for healthier you

It’s not news that vegetables are an essential part of a healthy diet. They supply vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber and naturally occurring compounds called phytochemicals that are associated with improved gastrointestinal health and vision, and reduced risk of arthritis, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and some types of cancer. Vegetables may work their medical magic due to the phytochemicals they contain, which help manage the replication and/or growth of cancer cells, stimulate the immune system, and exhibit antibacterial and antiviral effects.

Recent research has shown that dietary fiber from green cabbage may be as effective as cholestyramine, a commonly prescribed drug to lower blood cholesterol levels, in reducing blood lipids. In addition, cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower may lower risk of colon cancer by manipulating genes that can cause cancer. Vegetable intake, particularly cruciferous vegetables, has been linked to a reduction in the risk of aggressive forms of prostate cancer. Conversely, diets that are low in vegetables may be a contributing factor to roughly 31 percent of ischemic heart disease and 11 percent of stroke worldwide. Overall, low-vegetable diets are estimated to be associated with 2.7 million deaths each year worldwide.

The goal to increase daily vegetable intake has many associated benefits. “Most vegetables are low-calorie (only about 25 calories/cup, raw), low in sugar, and a rich source of antioxidants,” says Allison J Stowell, M.S., R.D., nutrition communications expert and founder of Stowell Nutrition based in Connecticut. She cites recommendations that we should all aim to consume two to three cups a day; and to strive for even more if you’re trying to lose weight. Not only are vegetables low in calories, she points out, but the high-fiber content fills you up, helping to tamp down appetite.

Variety is key

The health benefits of vegetables are not linked to a specific compound or a single type of vegetable. Rather, protection is more likely to come from a balanced diet including several types of vegetables. Each vegetable contains a unique combination of vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytochemicals. Getting a wide variety is important for getting the most benefit, and striving to consume a rainbow array of colorful vegetables is the best way to get vegetable variety. “Consumers should make colorful vegetables (red, yellow, green, orange, purple) a regular part of their diet. That ensures a variety of antioxidant compounds, just as nature intended,” says Stowell. “The more colorful the better.”

Densie Webb, Ph.D., R.D. For more information, visit www.environmentalnutrition.com.

Source: https://chicago.suntimes.com/food/eating-right-green-vegetables-cabbage-cauliflower-eating-right/

[talkcarol17-blog]

Keys to the Game: Bulls vs. Suns (11.21.18)

Tonight the Bulls (4-13) are back home to take on the Phoenix Suns (3-13) at the United Center in the first of two contests slated between the teams this season. Chicago hopes to get back on the right track after dropping its last four while Phoenix arrives in town in the middle of a four-game Eastern Conference swing having lost their last two, including a hard-fought 119-114 setback in Philadelphia on Monday.

A week ago this evening the Suns scored a surprising 116-96 victory over the San Antonio Spurs to snap a four-game losing streak. However, they came out flat the next time they hit the hardwood in falling to OKC 110-100 Saturday, and then in Philly the other night. In the Thunder game the Suns were out-rebounded 62-42, and it didn't get any better against the 76ers, as Philly dominated the glass 53-31.

Despite having the NBA Draft's No. 1 overall pick in 7'1” center Deandre Ayton, Phoenix enters tonight 29th in the league in overall rebounding, collecting a mere 39.9 missed shots a night. Sadly, Chicago has been just slightly better, ranking 26th with an average of 41.5 a game. Thus if the Bulls are going to come out on top this evening it would be smart to take advantage of an opportunity to control of the glass and light a fire under their feet offensively by relentlessly grabbing the ball off the window and running it up the floor as often as possible to deny the Suns time to set up defensively.

Phoenix's problem on the boards isn't Ayton's fault, as the rookie is averaging a double-double with 16.4 points and 10.4 rebounds. The truth is nobody other than Ayton seems willing to put much effort into glass work, as the next best rebounder is veteran forward Trevor Ariza at 5.6 per night.

For the most part the Suns offensive attack centers on high-volume scorer Devin Booker who leads team with an average of 23.8 points as well as a team-high 7.4 assists a game. The fourth-year guard isn't bashful when it comes to firing up shots from all over the floor as he also leads Phoenix in overall attempts (19), 3-point attempts (8.1) and free throw attempts (5.6) per night. In just 13 games Booker has already notched 38, 37 and 35 points. Against the Sixers he tickled the twine for 37 points and handed out eight assists while firing 15 threes and 28 shots in total. Defensively the Bulls have to respect Booker's abilities by keeping close tabs on him at all times. They simply cannot allow him to find a comfort zone and open looks at the hoop. Chicago's wings need to get physical and constantly run Booker off the arc, forcing him to take hotly-contested, low-percentage shots.

Ayton is another scoring threat, but he'll do his damage down low under the basket. Chicago's bigs will need to surround Ayton and not give him room to breathe or an opportunity to take control of the paint. Every time Ayton touches the ball down in the post Chicago needs to let him know they're right behind him, making it clear they will not be handing out free passes near the bucket.

The third offensive threat the Suns have is veteran forward TJ Warren, who last season posted a career-best 19.6 points a game while shooting just under 50-percent (.498) from the field. Warren's scoring average is down slightly this season (17.9), but like every good player in the league, he's become a legitimate threat from the arc as he's taking nearly four 3s a game and connecting on 46.6 percent of them. The 6'8” former NC State All-American is one of the NBA's most underrated players. There isn't a team in the league that wouldn't want this guy on their roster. Over his last six games Warren is producing 24.3 points while shooting .551 (54-of-98) from the field and .468 (15-of-32) from long distance.

Besides taking command of the backboards at both ends of the floor, and keeping tabs on Booker, Ayton and Warren, the Bulls also need to bring joy back into their game. Too often of late Chicago has gotten off to fast and impressive starts only lose their way after a couple of shots fail to fall and the offense morphs into a jump shooting contest. The Bulls are at their best when they play with passion and aggression. The ball has to freely bounce from player-to-player and from side-to-side. Everyone has to be willing to sacrifice personal stats for the good of the team. They have to set each other up for open looks at the rim, be they outside the arc or taking the action directly to the cup.

All-in-all, the Bulls have to come in with the mindset of outworking their opponents. Everyone needs to be focused and bring energy.

As shorthanded as they are due to injuries to key players, the Bulls cannot afford to hang their head and feel sorry for themselves. On the contrary, they must battle in every way possible and send a message to opponents that when you play the Chicago Bulls nothing comes easy.

Source: https://www.nba.com/bulls/gameday/keys-game-bulls-vs-suns-112118

[talkcarol17-blog]

What the Hell Just Happened?

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Bacon Chase for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

So the Bacon Chase has come and gone, as does Chicago Glutton’s first attempt at whoring itself out for server money. Someone’s gotta bring home the bacon as they say.

Anyway. . .

So the bacon chase actually is something I’ll never forget, for a few reasons:

1. It was the most amount of cooked bacon I’ve ever seen in my life.

Seriously, we’re taking enough bacon to feed literally thousands of crazy people. And I’m not joking when I say crazy people. People celebrated this shit out of this thing, it was almost to the burning-man level, just a bit nerdier. Definitley some good people watching.

Salty strips, as far as the eye can see.

2. There were the most bloody mary’s that I’ve ever seen in my life. As an American, you need to respect this level of excess.

There’s a lot of beauty here.

3. The bacon fever thing is really out of control.

Sure you see bacon everything at every tchotchke store out there, but until you see several thousand people chanting bacon, while dressed as bacon, eating unlmited bacon you really feel how out of hand this has escalated. Will it go pop? I honestly don’t think so.

The pink tutu’s were everywhere and I don’t understand why.

4. The Bacon Chase sound guys.

As John described them: “These two look like they just rushed the third-base coach at Comisky.”

If you’re in the Minneapolis area and you want to check out the next iteration at Lake Nokomis Park on June 19th, check out the website here: Minneapolis Bacon Chase   Or to see if it’s going to go down near you, check out: Bacon Chase Locations.

It might just be the strangest 50 minutes you spend this year.

Source: http://www.chicagogluttons.com/what-the-hell-just-happened/

[talkcarol17-blog]

Freebies and Deals on National Pasta Day, Oct. 17

It is almost time for National Pasta Day on October 17 and we have the freebies and deals for you.  Yes, there’s a whole day devoted entirely to this versatile Italian staple. While there are many types of pasta – from lasagna, to macaroni, to linguine – we can all agree that the best kind is free pasta! So get ready to carb load, because your Free Things staff has rounded up 10 places giving away free pasta to help you celebrate National Pasta Day. Our findings:

Applebee’s: For a limited time, participating locations have new neighborhood pastas that are served with a breadstick. Find the pasta varieties at www.applebees.com.

Buca di Beppo:  In celebration of World Pasta Month, Buca di Beppo is hosting a sweepstakes with Barilla pasta. The two brands will send one lucky winner and a guest on a 6-day, 5-night culinary trip to Northern Italy. U.S. citizens 21 years of age or older can enter anytime through October 31. Click here to fill out the entry form.

Carrabba’s Italian Grill: For National Pasta Day, Oct. 17, Spaghetti Pomodoro, Linguini Positano and Fettucine Alfredo are $10.

Francesca’s in Chicago – Passion for Pasta! Celebrate National Pasta Day with your neighborhood Francesca’s restaurant!  Bring the family to Francesca’s on Wednesday, October 17, and dine on some of our signature pastas for $12.95 at all locations.

Olive Garden: The Never Ending Pasta Bowl promotion runs through Nov. 18. The pasta bowl starts at $10.99.

Maggiano’s Little Italy – Join Maggiano’s Little Italy’s eClub and receive a coupon good for $10 off your next order. They have dozens of locations across the country, so it makes it the perfect choice this National Pasta Day!

Osteria Via Stato – October 17 is National Pasta Day and to celebrate, they are offering a free side of Penne with tomato cream and fresh mozzarella, with every carry-out order and delivery order, through Caviar exclusively.  Minimum order of $15 is required. 620 N. State Street Chicago, IL 60654

Piada Italian Street Food: The chain will serve Barilla’s Spaghetti Rigati in all restaurants all day on Oct. 17 for National Pasta Day. It’s a nationwide test of a new recipe and marks the first time the company is using a different kind of pasta since opening in 2010.

Romano’s Macaroni Grill: The chain is celebrating National Pasta Month by giving first responders free meals. Through Oct. 31, police officers, firefighters, emergency service personnel, paramedics and hospital medical staff members can get one Mom’s Ricotta Meatballs and Spaghetti entrée for lunch of dinner when they dine in and show their ID.

Quiznos: Also on Oct. 17, participating Quiznos will have $1 Gyro flatbreads. New and current members of Quiznos’ Toasty Points loyalty program can get a $1 Gyro flatbread Oct. 10-16 with the app. Download the app at www.quiznos.com/toastypoints.

Villa Italian Kitchen: The chain is celebrating its ninth annual “Have a Slice Day” or Wednesday by giving away free Cheese Neapolitan pizza slices. Sign up for a coupon at www.freesliceday.com.

Explore Cuisine: Through Wednesday, get $5 off the brand’s two-pound box of Organic Red Lentil Penne Pasta on Amazon with code 289V17W9.

Sfoglini: Get 20 percent off sitewide Wednesday at www.sfoglini.com with promo code PASTADAY20.

Source: http://chicagofree.info/2018/10/16/freebies-and-deals-on-national-pasta-day-oct-17/

[talkcarol17-blog]

12 teams have playoff clinching scenarios for Week 17

Two teams already know their playoff seeds before Week 17: The Saints, who will be the NFC No. 1 seed, and the Cowboys, who will be the NFC No. 4 seed. After that, things are wide open.

Overall, 12 teams have scenarios in which they can clinch a playoff berth, a division, a first-round bye or home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. We’ll explore all of those scenarios, from the straightforward (Chiefs will have home-field advantage if they win) to the remote (Steelers will be a wild card if they win, and the Ravens win, and the Titans and Colts tie).

Here are the Week 17 playoff scenarios, as distributed by the NFL:

NFC

CLINCHED: New Orleans Saints – NFC South division title and home-field advantage Los Angeles Rams – NFC West division title Chicago Bears – NFC North division title Dallas Cowboys – NFC East division title Seattle Seahawks – playoff berth

LOS ANGELES RAMS (12-3) (vs. San Francisco (4-11), Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, FOX)

Los Angeles clinches a first-round bye with:

LAR win or tie OR CHI loss or tie

CHICAGO BEARS (11-4) (at Minnesota (8-6-1), Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, FOX)

Chicago clinches a first-round bye with:

CHI win + LAR loss

MINNESOTA VIKINGS (8-6-1) (vs. Chicago (11-4), Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, FOX)

Minnesota clinches a playoff berth with:

MIN win or tie OR PHI loss or tie

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (8-7) (at Washington (7-8), Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, FOX)

Philadelphia clinches a playoff berth with:

PHI win + MIN loss

AFC CLINCHED: Kansas City Chiefs – Playoff berth Los Angeles Chargers – Playoff berth New England Patriots – AFC East division title Houston Texans – Playoff berth​

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (11-4) (vs. Oakland (4-11), Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, CBS)

Kansas City clinches AFC West division title and home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with:

KC win OR KC tie + LAC loss or tie OR LAC loss + NE loss or tie + HOU loss or tie OR LAC loss + NE loss or tie + KC clinches at least a tie in strength of victory tiebreaker over HOU

Kansas City clinches AFC West division title and a first-round bye with:

LAC loss + NE loss or tie OR LAC loss + HOU loss or tie LAC loss + KC clinches at least a tie in strength of victory tiebreaker over HOU

Kansas City clinches AFC West division title with:

LAC loss OR KC tie + LAC tie

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (10-5) (vs. New York Jets (4-11), Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, CBS)

New England clinches home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with:

NE win + KC loss + LAC loss

New England clinches a first-round bye with:

NE win OR NE tie + HOU loss or tie OR BAL loss or tie + HOU loss + TEN loss or tie

HOUSTON TEXANS (10-5) (vs. Jacksonville (5-10), Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, CBS)

Houston clinches AFC South division title and home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with:

HOU win + NE loss or tie + KC loss + LAC loss + HOU clinches a tie in strength of victory tiebreaker over KC

Houston clinches AFC South division title and a first-round bye with:

HOU win + NE loss or tie OR HOU win + KC loss + LAC loss + HOU clinches a tie in strength of victory tiebreaker over KC OR HOU tie + NE loss OR IND-TEN tie + NE loss + BAL win + HOU clinches a tie in strength of victory tiebreaker over BAL

Houston clinches AFC South division title with:

HOU win or tie OR IND-TEN tie

BALTIMORE RAVENS (9-6) (vs. Cleveland (7-7-1), Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, CBS)

Baltimore clinches AFC North division title and a first-round bye with:

BAL win + NE loss + HOU loss + IND-TEN does not end in a tie OR BAL win + NE loss + HOU loss + BAL clinches at least a tie in strength of victory tiebreaker over HOU

Baltimore clinches AFC North division title with:

BAL win OR PIT loss OR BAL tie + PIT tie

Baltimore clinches a playoff berth with:

BAL tie + IND-TEN tie

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (11-4) (at Denver (6-9), Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, CBS)

Los Angeles clinches AFC West division title and home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with:

LAC win + KC loss or tie OR LAC tie + KC loss

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (9-6) (at Tennessee (9-6), Sunday night, 8:20 PM ET, NBC)

Indianapolis clinches AFC South division title with:

IND win + HOU loss

Indianapolis clinches a playoff berth with:

IND win OR IND tie + PIT loss or tie OR IND tie + BAL loss

TENNESSEE TITANS (9-6) (vs. Indianapolis (9-6), Sunday night, 8:20 PM ET, NBC)

Tennessee clinches AFC South division title and first-round bye with:

TEN win + HOU loss + NE loss + BAL loss or tie

Tennessee clinches AFC South division title with:

TEN win + HOU loss

Tennessee clinches a playoff berth with:

TEN win

PITTSBURGH STEELERS (8-6-1) (vs. Cincinnati (6-9), Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, CBS)

Pittsburgh clinches AFC North division title with:

PIT win + BAL loss or tie OR PIT tie + BAL loss

Pittsburgh clinches a playoff berth with:

PIT win + IND-TEN tie

Source: https://sports.yahoo.com/12-teams-playoff-clinching-scenarios-171325022.html?src=rss

[talkcarol17-blog]

After hitting four uprights, Bears kicker Cody Parkey will practice kicks at Soldier Field

After a uniquely miserable weekend in which he hit four uprights, Chicago Bears kicker Cody Parkey is practicing again at Soldier Field.

Parkey doinked four separate kicks off the uprights, two extra points and two field goals, a feat so unthinkable that Bears fans should have been cheering it. (Instead, they booed.) Parkey didn’t get the boot (sorry); he’s still with the team and still practicing. And, in advance of this weekend’s night game at home against the Vikings, he’s heading back to Soldier Field to practice under game conditions.

“I guess just check all the boxes you can, right?” Parkey said at practice Wednesday. “I mean, it can’t hurt.”

Soldier Field’s challenging winds

The winds at Soldier Field, located right on Lake Michigan, are unpredictable under the best of circumstances. Former Bears kickers Kevin Butler and Robbie Gould were regulars at the field, a 35-mile drive from the Bears’ practice facilities.

“As a kicker, this is my fifth season doing this, I’ve had highs, I’ve had lows,” Parkey said. “So unfortunately it comes with the territory sometimes. I don’t get down on myself. I know I’m a great kicker. I’m just going to go out there Sunday and try my best.”

The misses dropped Parkey’s season average to 72.2, well below his career average of 84 percent. He’s hit 13 of 18 field goal attempts and 30 of 32 extra-point attempts. He signed a four-year, $15 million deal with Chicago last year that includes $9 million in guarantees.

Parkey’s live audience

Parkey’s practice at Soldier field on Wednesday night didn’t go unnoticed, either. WGN and ABC 7 in Chicago actually sent helicopters to provide live coverage of his practice.

It seems that, at least for a little bit, Parkey’s solo practice at Soldier Field was the biggest sporting event in Chicago on Wednesday night.

Only time will tell to see if it pays off.

Cody Parkey, alone in a crowd, is trying to get better. (Getty)

More

____ Jay Busbee is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at jay.busbee@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter or on Facebook.

More from Yahoo Sports: • Dan Wetzel: Mexico City game teaches NFL a lesson • Serena Williams’s GQ cover sparks outcry • College cancels football after 53rd straight loss • What to make of the latest Ohio State allegations?

Source: https://sports.yahoo.com/hitting-four-uprights-cody-parkey-will-practice-kicks-soldier-field-215330534.html?src=rss

[talkcarol17-blog]

The Bear’s Den, March 20, 2019

BEAR DOWN, CHICAGO BEARS, BEAR DOWN!!!!

BEARRRSSSS / FREE AGENCY / DRAFT

Dannehy: Safety Swap Should Help Keep Bears On Top - Da Bears Blog - When the Bears signed Ha Ha Clinton-Dix for roughly a third of what the Packers paid Adrian Amos, it was a great example of how teams on top stay on top.

Gabriel: Assessing Bears’ Needs After Initial Wave Of Free Agency - 670 The Score - After the first wave of free agency, the Bears still need to find a running back and add an outside linebacker.

5@5: Buying Analytics Group Commending Raiders For Khalil Mack Trade? - 670 The Score - The Mully & Haugh crew debates a five-pack of questions every weekday.

Win two tickets to every Bears game this season - ChicagoBears.com - Fans can now enter the fifth annual Chicago Bears Schedule Prediction Challenge, which features the largest sweepstakes prize in franchise history.

Lunch with Larry: 3.19.19 - ChicagoBears.com - Bears Senior Writer Larry Mayer breaks down the first week of free agency, what the team may look to do next and the impact of the newest Bears players.

Registration open for PNC Chicago Bears 5K at Soldier Field - ChicagoBears.com - Fundraising for Bears Care will support local anti-violence efforts

Medina: The Lure of Playing With Khalil Mack Has Already Helped the Bears in Free Agency - Bleacher Nation - The Mack Factor extends beyond the playing field.

Medina: Love it or Hate it? The Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and Buster Skrine Signings Are Drawing Very Different Reviews - Bleacher Nation - The Bears’ two newest defensive backs are on opposite ends of PFF’s grading system. What gives?

Finley: Punter Pat O’Donnell back for 2 years, $4 million - Chicago Sun-Times - O’Donnell, who also served as the holder on field goal and PAT attempts, averaged 45 yards per punt last season, right on par with his career average

Thompson: Charles Tillman is afraid of water — but that won’t stop him from rowing across Lake Michigan for childhood cancer research - Chicago Tribune - A conversation Charles Tillman had with a stranger at a gala has turned into two friends’ plan to row together across Lake Michigan to raise money for their childhood cancer charities.

Zeglinski: An imperfect balance - How the Bears’ 2019 free agency signings fit – The Rock River Times - After four off-seasons, the Bears were finally a contending team patiently sanding over the edges with relative questions as to how some of their additions fit into their plans.

Mayer: Bears move up to No. 8 in power rankings - ChicagoBears.com - In Elliot Harrison’s NFL power rankings released Tuesday on NFL.com, the Bears moved up one slot since the post-Super Bowl rankings to No. 8 in the league.

POLISH SAUSAGE

Raiders sign Vontaze Burfict – ProFootballTalk - Vontaze Burfict wasn’t out of work long. Burfict was released by the Bengals on Monday, but he was on his way to Oakland to visit with the Raiders on Monday and that meeting was all it took for him to land another job. The Raiders announced that Burfict has signed with the team on Tuesday night.

NFL Power Rankings: Browns hit top 10 via free agency/trades - NFL.com - In the wake of a wild week highlighted by blockbuster trades and high-profile signings, what is the current state of the NFL hierarchy? Elliot Harrison updates his Power Rankings.

KNOW THY ENEMY

Former Packers wideout Randall Cobb to sign with Cowboys, per reports - Acme Packing Company - One of the Packers’ best receivers over the past decade has left to join an NFC rival.

Packers hope Adrian Amos turns out far better than their last major signing at safety - Acme Packing Company - The last time Green Bay signed a long-term deal with a free agent at the position, the contract was terminated after just one season.

The Packers have paid out over $24M in roster bonuses since 2019 league year began - Acme Packing Company - Including signing bonuses, the team wrote checks for over $80M last week.

Clay Matthews agrees to two-year deal with Rams – ProFootballTalk - Linebacker Clay Matthews already has changed his profile picture on Twitter, showing him in a Rams uniform with the familiar No. 52. Matthews reached agreement on a two-year deal with the Rams, via multiple reports. Matthews, a USC product, lives near the Rams' training facility.

RapSheet and Friends: Breaking the Odell Beckham trade, Za'Darius Smith and Adam Humphries - RapSheet and Friends - Omny.fm - In the aftermath of the free agency frenzy, Ian's guests this week include new Green Bay Packer Za'Darius Smith (12:45) and new Tennessee Titan Adam Humphries (48:30)

Detroit Lions sign RFA running back Malcolm Brown to an offer sheet - Pride Of Detroit - If the Rams can’t match the Lions’ offer, the Lions will have a new backup running back.

Detroit Lions sign WR Tommylee Lewis - Pride Of Detroit - Detroit has a speedy receiver that will contend for a roster spot due to his special teams skills.

2019 NFC North odds: Detroit Lions’ odds 7 times longer than divisional foes - Pride Of Detroit - Vegas ain’t impressed by the Lions’ free agent period.

Detroit Lions podcast: 2019 free agency recap with PFF’s Brett Whitefield - Pride Of Detroit - Why does PFF love the Lions’ free agency moves? We asked them directly.

Minnesota Vikings Free Agency Report: Dan Bailey re-signs with the Vikings - Daily Norseman - Habemus Kicker!

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT ON WINDY CITY GRIDIRON

Schmitz' Bear With Me: Scouting the Chicago Bears’ New 2019 Free Agents - Windy City Gridiron - On the latest episode of Bear With Me, Robert S. gives a detailed scouting report on all four newly signed Bears (Mike Davis, Buster Skrine, Cordarrelle Patterson, and Ha Ha Clinton-Dix) as well as a few thoughts on re-signed punter Pat O’Donnell

Superfans: Did the Raiders fleece the Bears in the Khalil Mack trade? - Windy City Gridiron - Please, do tell us how the 4-12 Raiders pulled one over on the 12-4 Bears.

WCG CONTRIBUTORS BEARS PODCASTS & STREAMS

2 Minute Drill - Website - iTunes - Andrew Link; Steven’s Streaming – Twitch – Steven Schweickert; T-Formation Conversation - Website - iTunes - Lester Wiltfong, Jr.; WCG Radio - Website - iTunes - Robert Zeglinski - The Blitz Network

THE RULES

Windy City Gridiron Community Guidelines - SBNation.com - We strive to make our communities open and inclusive to sports fans of all backgrounds. The following is not permitted in comments. No personal attacks, politics, gender based insults of any kind, racial insults, etc.

The Bear’s Den Specific Guidelines – The Bear’s Den is a place for Chicago Bears fans to discuss Chicago Bears football, related NFL stories, and general football talk. It is NOT a place to discuss religion or politics or post political pictures or memes. Unless otherwise stated, the Den is not an open thread, and profanity (including profanity only stated in pictures) is prohibited.

Click on our names to follow us on Twitter:

WCG Contributors: Jeff Berckes; Patti Curl; Eric Christopher Duerrwaechter; Kev H; Sam Householder; Jacob Infante; Aaron Lemming; Ken Mitchell; Steven Schweickert; Jack Silverstein; EJ Snyder; Lester Wiltfong, Jr.; Whiskey Ranger; Robert Schmitz; Robert Zeglinski; Like us on Facebook.

Source: https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2019/3/20/18273650/chicago-bears-free-agency-draft-mocks-offseason-second-wave-khalil-mack-amos-tillman-clinton-dix

[talkcarol17-blog]

IPLAC: 2018 Supreme Court IP Review

The Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago (IPLAC) is hosting a 2018 Supreme Court IP Review on Friday, September 21, from 8:30am-6:15 pm at the Chicago-Kent College of Law at Illinois Tech — 565 W. Adams St.

They are offering 6.5 hours of CLE credit for topics including:

Reviews of last terms cases, including WesternGeco, Oil States and SAS Institute.

Analytics regarding last year’s Supreme Court IP cases.

A preview of cases to watch in the upcoming term.

Various PTAB updates.

N.D. California’s Judge Alsup discussing how courts manage large patent dockets.

Register here.

Source: https://www.chicagoiplitigation.com/2018/09/iplac-2018-supreme-court-ip-review/

[talkcarol17-blog]

Lit recs for people who are trying to clear out their TBR piles

If you're reading Book Swap—and you are—my bet is on your New Year's resolution being to read more books. So in the first edition of Book Swap in 2019, I thought I'd share a glimpse of Nick Drnaso's TBR pile and some of my own selections.

Drnaso's graphic novel Sabrina took the literary world by storm last year—and for good reason. It's a slowly built and awkwardly constructed narrative that only coheres as a transcendent story about human fragility in this contemporary moment of duress long after readers grow comfortable with his flat-colored forms and opaque backstories. The book is gutting and brilliant—enough so that you not only want to read everything the author has ever written (and you won't go wrong with Drnaso's 2016 Beverly, which won the LA Times Book Award for Best Graphic Novel), but you want to read what he reads, too.

So what are you reading, Nick? —Anne Elizabeth Moore

ND: I have a never-ending stack of books on my "to read" pile, which is a constant reminder of all the things that are passing me by. I've chosen three from that stack that I'm particularly excited about, though they're not all new or even recent releases, so this isn't as much a "looking forward to" as a "looking back at" list.

Every Christmas my brother and I try to recommend presents to each other so we're not passing the same gift cards back and forth. This year I asked him to buy me The Dinosaur Man by Susan Baur. I can't remember where I first heard about this book, but it's been on my wish list for a few years. Baur recounts her time working as a psychologist with schizophrenic patients, where she developed a method of immersing herself in the delusional mind as a way to uncover and understand the internal logic.

In a similar vein, I'm also very much looking forward to digging into Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst by Robert Sapolsky. My wife and I have been listening to his lectures that are available online, particularly on schizophrenia, religion, and depression. Admittedly, I told my brother to buy the book for her for Christmas as well, though I might greedily read it before she gets a chance to.

Because I might need something warmer after those books, I'll follow them with Blame This on the Boogie by Rina Ayuyang, which I've been eager to read since the summer but keep losing in the pile. It's a graphic novel, rendered in energetic and lovely colored pencil (I think). All I know is that it's about dance, music, and motherhood, so it promises to be a worthwhile and life-affirming read.

AEM: Blame This on the Boogie's on my pile, too. Ayuyang's gorgeous color work is so enticing! But first up is some gore, because winter.

There's no better way to commemorate the centennial anniversary of socialist feminist Rosa Luxemburg's untimely demise on January 15 than by curling up with a fresh copy of Klaus Geitinger's The Murder of Rosa Luxemburg from Verso. When she and fellow Marxist revolutionary Karl Liebknecht were killed late one night in front of a posh hotel, and her body dumped into the Landwehr Canal in Berlin, it marked a turning point in the German political climate that, unfortunately, still holds a bit too much resonance today.

Former Chicagoan Aleksandar Hemon will release My Parents / This Does Not Belong to You through MCD, a Farrar, Strauss, and Giroux imprint, in the spring. Pairing the narrative of his parents' immigration from Bosnia to Canada with his extremely personal tales will certainly offer a fantastic frame for his incisive revelations and stunning eye for detail.

One of my very favorite authors will also release a new book this year, on one of my very favorite sports: Elizabeth McCracken's Bowlaway takes on a family in New England that operates a candlepin bowling alley. I don't know how it can be anything but delightful, as I've truly loved every single thing she's ever written, from her renowned The Giant's House to her entire Twitter feed. Reasonably sure it will start 2019 off in the right literary direction.   v

Source: https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/book-swap-nick-drnaso-anne-elizabeth-moore/Content?oid=66226434

[talkcarol17-blog]

Today’s Headlines for Friday, October 18

Connie Mangrum, 52, Killed in Possibly Intentional Englewood Hit-and-Run (ABC)

Oak Forest Officer Run Over, Pedestrian Struck by Carjacking Suspect (Sun-Times)

New York Times: Chicago’s ‘L’ System Renovations Offer a Role Model for NYC

Pace, Metra Reps Present 2019 Budget Proposals to Will County Board (Herald News)

Regional Transportation Authority Is Conducting a Customer Satisfaction Survey (ABC)

In Response to Cold Snap, CTA Turns on Platform Heat Earlier Than Usual (CBS)

20th Ward Aldermanic Candidate Puts Fake Parking Tickets on Cars (Block Club)

Fundraiser for Annie Byrne, Injured BFF Bikes Owner 10/23, 6 PM at Map Room

Get national headlines at Streetsblog USA

Note: Streetsblog Chicago will be on vacation the week of Monday, October 22.

Did you appreciate this post? Consider making a donation through our PublicGood site.

Source: https://chi.streetsblog.org/2018/10/19/todays-headlines-for-friday-october-18/

[talkcarol17-blog]

Zobrist, Cubs teammates put trust in front office

CHICAGO -- The message continually preached by the Cubs' decision-makers throughout this winter has been that the team plans on harnessing a heightened sense of urgency from the first pitch of the season on. And it will be incumbent on the players already in the fold to right the wrongs of last fall's collapse.

That theme has been accompanied by a great deal of talk about budgetary limitations, which has rattled a portion of the fan base. While Chicago is still searching for ways to make additions -- addressing the bullpen is one uncompleted task that remains -- the sense has been that payroll-freeing trades would be required to make even a mid-level signing.

CHICAGO -- The message continually preached by the Cubs' decision-makers throughout this winter has been that the team plans on harnessing a heightened sense of urgency from the first pitch of the season on. And it will be incumbent on the players already in the fold to right the wrongs of last fall's collapse.

That theme has been accompanied by a great deal of talk about budgetary limitations, which has rattled a portion of the fan base. While Chicago is still searching for ways to make additions -- addressing the bullpen is one uncompleted task that remains -- the sense has been that payroll-freeing trades would be required to make even a mid-level signing.

• Ricketts backs Cubs' roster, offseason approach | Epstein talks 2018 struggles

During a town hall-style discussion with president of baseball operations Theo Epstein at Cubs Convention over the weekend, one fan took to the microphone and cited that development as an area of unrest for the team's followers:

"The frustration, I think, isn't that you're not signing a big-name free-agent. It's when I read articles that the Cubs need to clear money to sign a middle reliever. I think that's where people are getting frustrated."

Ben Zobrist does not pay much attention to such articles, but he has been around long enough to know how things work. At 37 and with a salary of $12.5 million for 2019 -- the final year under a four-year contract -- Zobrist understands that his name might be one floated in trade rumors.

In a tunnel behind the main banquet hall at Cubs Convention, Zobrist said his only concern right now is to prepare for the season ahead with Chicago. He is looking forward to getting to know the new coaching staff, especially hitting coach Anthony Iapoce, and has already been searching for solutions to the lineup's second-half woes. Anything else is wasted mental energy.

"I'm one of the pawns," Zobrist said. "You kind of recognize where you're at as a player, and then you own it. So yeah, I don't have a no-trade clause at this point, so I could be traded. But that being said, I'm not going to give it too much thought."

Video: Zobrist talks 2018 season, looking toward 2019

It is worth repeating that, even with the purse strings pulled a little tighter this winter, the Cubs will head into 2019 with the largest payroll in franchise history. It projects to exceed the $206 million Competitive Balance Tax threshold, so the team's approach has not been guided by that specific monetary line. But as Epstein explained to the fan who broached this subject, the budget (while undisclosed) is the budget.

"Every team tries to enter every offseason as nimble as possible," Epstein said. "That's not our situation this winter. When we do our jobs really artfully, you never notice the budget, right? Because we've created a lot of flexibility, we have a lot of moveable pieces, we can get everything done that we want to get done. But when we haven't done our jobs and I haven't done my job as artfully or I haven't gotten the outcome that we expect enough, we're going to be in a situation that's not as flexible.

"So we can't always be as aggressive. We can't always get everything that we want. ... But it doesn't mean it's going to be that way forever. It doesn't mean we don't have a darn good team. It doesn't mean you can't find solutions in unexpected places that are going to be extremely impactful and help us get where we need to go for next year."

The first major clue came early in the offseason, when the team picked up Cole Hamels' $20 million team option and traded Drew Smyly (set to earn $7 million this year) to the Rangers shortly thereafter. Another tell came when reliever Jesse Chavez, who could have helped the bullpen much like he did last year, went to Texas on a two-year, $8 million deal.

Video: Cole Hamels excited to return to the Cubs in 2019

To date, Chicago's biggest external addition has been signing veteran utility man Daniel Descalso to a two-year, $5 million contract.

"I understand people have to work within a certain system that they set," Hamels said. "But I think when the time comes, if something needs to be added down the line, I think they'll be able to make that sort of decision. I'm pretty confident that they'll be able to do it. But we have a great team, and with the guys that we have that are going to come off the disabled list, that's like getting free agents right there. So there's tremendous talent. "

Hamels was referring to Yu Darvish, who signed a six-year, $126 million with the Cubs last winter only to have injuries limit him to eight starts in 2018. Darvish attended Cubs Convention and looked as strong as he claims to be in his offseason rehab program. Come Spring Training, the right-hander said he expects to have no restrictions.

That rotation includes Hamels, Darvish, Jon Lester, Kyle Hendricks and Jose Quintana -- a group on the books for $85.4 million combined. Behind that quintet are Mike Montgomery ($2.44 million) and Tyler Chatwood ($12.5 million), bringing the cost of the starting staff and its top two reserves to just over $100 million. Combine that with the other guaranteed deals, and the other rising costs via arbitration, and the Cubs' financial restrictions come into focus.

Even with the knowledge that he could be a trade candidate, Zobrist was quick to defend the Cubs' front office.

"They have a tough job," Zobrist said. "I trust them. I know that they're wise, kind of shrewd businessmen, and they're going to make the right decisions based on the amount of money that they have. I think they've proven that over the last few years in the way that they've taken care of the team and put the best possible team on the field."

Jordan Bastian covers the Cubs for MLB.com. He previously covered the Indians from 2011-18 and the Blue Jays from 2006-10. Read his blog, Major League Bastian, follow him on Twitter @MLBastian and Facebook.

Source: https://www.mlb.com/news/ben-zobrist-cubs-defend-front-offices-moves/c-302957768

[talkcarol17-blog]

Freebies and Deals on National Pasta Day, Oct. 17

It is almost time for National Pasta Day on October 17 and we have the freebies and deals for you.  Yes, there’s a whole day devoted entirely to this versatile Italian staple. While there are many types of pasta – from lasagna, to macaroni, to linguine – we can all agree that the best kind is free pasta! So get ready to carb load, because your Free Things staff has rounded up 10 places giving away free pasta to help you celebrate National Pasta Day. Our findings:

Applebee’s: For a limited time, participating locations have new neighborhood pastas that are served with a breadstick. Find the pasta varieties at www.applebees.com.

Buca di Beppo:  In celebration of World Pasta Month, Buca di Beppo is hosting a sweepstakes with Barilla pasta. The two brands will send one lucky winner and a guest on a 6-day, 5-night culinary trip to Northern Italy. U.S. citizens 21 years of age or older can enter anytime through October 31. Click here to fill out the entry form.

Carrabba’s Italian Grill: For National Pasta Day, Oct. 17, Spaghetti Pomodoro, Linguini Positano and Fettucine Alfredo are $10.

Francesca’s in Chicago – Passion for Pasta! Celebrate National Pasta Day with your neighborhood Francesca’s restaurant!  Bring the family to Francesca’s on Wednesday, October 17, and dine on some of our signature pastas for $12.95 at all locations.

Olive Garden: The Never Ending Pasta Bowl promotion runs through Nov. 18. The pasta bowl starts at $10.99.

Maggiano’s Little Italy – Join Maggiano’s Little Italy’s eClub and receive a coupon good for $10 off your next order. They have dozens of locations across the country, so it makes it the perfect choice this National Pasta Day!

Osteria Via Stato – October 17 is National Pasta Day and to celebrate, they are offering a free side of Penne with tomato cream and fresh mozzarella, with every carry-out order and delivery order, through Caviar exclusively.  Minimum order of $15 is required. 620 N. State Street Chicago, IL 60654

Piada Italian Street Food: The chain will serve Barilla’s Spaghetti Rigati in all restaurants all day on Oct. 17 for National Pasta Day. It’s a nationwide test of a new recipe and marks the first time the company is using a different kind of pasta since opening in 2010.

Romano’s Macaroni Grill: The chain is celebrating National Pasta Month by giving first responders free meals. Through Oct. 31, police officers, firefighters, emergency service personnel, paramedics and hospital medical staff members can get one Mom’s Ricotta Meatballs and Spaghetti entrée for lunch of dinner when they dine in and show their ID.

Quiznos: Also on Oct. 17, participating Quiznos will have $1 Gyro flatbreads. New and current members of Quiznos’ Toasty Points loyalty program can get a $1 Gyro flatbread Oct. 10-16 with the app. Download the app at www.quiznos.com/toastypoints.

Villa Italian Kitchen: The chain is celebrating its ninth annual “Have a Slice Day” or Wednesday by giving away free Cheese Neapolitan pizza slices. Sign up for a coupon at www.freesliceday.com.

Explore Cuisine: Through Wednesday, get $5 off the brand’s two-pound box of Organic Red Lentil Penne Pasta on Amazon with code 289V17W9.

Sfoglini: Get 20 percent off sitewide Wednesday at www.sfoglini.com with promo code PASTADAY20.

Source: http://chicagofree.info/2018/10/16/freebies-and-deals-on-national-pasta-day-oct-17/

[talkcarol17-blog]

Walter Lemon Jr. leads Bulls past Wizards after tanktastic Cristiano Felicio gaffe

Somebody had to win when the Zombie Bulls and Wizards played Wednesday night in the nation’s capital. While the Wizards are still playing guys like Bradley Beal and the former Bulls (though Jabari Parker got hurt in this game), Scott Brooks chose not to play his main guys in the fourth quarter, effectively creating a high-level G League game down the stretch.

It looked like the Wizards were going to pull the game out when they went up 109-104 with just under three minutes to play, but seven late points for Shaquille Harrison and Walter Lemon Jr. heroics in the final minute resulted in a 115-114 Bulls win to snap a five-game losing streak. Lemon hit the game-winning free throws with 1.8 seconds left to cap off a 24-point, 8-assist performance in just his third appearance with the club.

But much of the focus at the end of the game was the Cristiano Felicio gaffe at the end of the game that nearly cost the Bulls the game. After Lemon put the Bulls up 113-112, Harrison blocked a Jordan McRae jumper, but the Wizards got the ball back with 14.5 seconds left and called timeout. With the Wizards inbounding the ball under the basket after the timeout, Felicio was late getting back out on the court as the ball was put in play, resulting in a pair of Chasson Randle free throws following a Harrison foul right under the bucket:

Another view here, with Boylen way out on the court as Felicio sprinted past him:

A pretty massive clown show if you ask me, even though Lemon saved Felicio’s ass in the end.

After the game, Boylen said Felicio was asking one of the coaches if the Bulls had a foul to give, and the head coach seemed confused why the play was allowed to start.

Via K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune:

“They just started without him,” coach Jim Boylen said. “Kind of a strange play, I don’t know what to say on that. They usually don’t ever start until everybody gets out there. And if they do want to start, they give you your delay (of game warning) before they start. I think they thought all 10 guys were out there. And they weren’t.”

Felicio offered up a similar explanation:

“I was trying to see if we had a foul to give. I didn’t see that the play started without me. So I just tried to run back,” Felicio said. “I guess (the officials) saw me running over there and they didn’t know what to do besides running the play. I just thought about running back and trying to play defense no matter what.”

And then there’s this quote courtesy of Sam Smith at Bulls.com, which is just kind of sad: “They don’t talk to me all season; now they talk to me,” Felicio said to Dunn with a sigh.

Whatever the hell happened, it was yet another bad look in a season full of them. Mercifully, there are only three games left in this debacle, and then we can look forward to the lottery and praying for Zion Williamson.

And on that note, the Bulls are effectively locked into the No. 4 spot now, giving them a 12.5% chance at the No. 1 pick.

Source: https://www.blogabull.com/2019/4/4/18295431/walter-lemon-jr-leads-bulls-past-wizards-after-tanktastic-cristiano-felicio-gaffe

[talkcarol17-blog]

Injury report: TE Dion Sims is only Bears player to miss practice Wednesday

Injury report: TE Dion Sims is only Bears player to miss practice Wednesday originally appeared on nbcsportschicago.com

The good news keeps coming for the Bears after their third-straight win. Mitchell Trubisky is the NFC Player of the Week, and their Week 14 against the Los Angeles Rams has been flexed to Sunday Night Football on NBC.

They took the practice field Wednesday to prepare for the Minnesota Vikings, and they came away with the closest thing to a clean bill of health any team could ask for at this point in the season.

Tight end Dion Sims is the only injured player on the active roster, and he missed practice with a concussion that held him out of last week's game against the Detroit Lions.

Last week, eight players appeared on the Bears injury report, although Sims was the only one who sat out of practice due to injury.

Wide receiver Allen Robinson and outside linebacker Khalil Mack are both off the list after practicing fully last week, as is rookie defensive lineman Bilal Nichols, who was questionable for the Lions game with a knee injury.

Meanwhile, the Vikings had nine players on their Wednesday injury report, including two starters who were unable to participate in practice.

This comes immediately following their bye week, their best opportunity to heal up for the home stretch of the season.

Chicago should be pretty close to full strength for Sunday night's matchup, and it appears early on that Minnesota won't.

Source: https://sports.yahoo.com/injury-report-te-dion-sims-232642949.html?src=rss

[talkcarol17-blog]

Bikes finish first in Northwest Side multimodal race

Chicago residents often talk about how riding a bike is the quickest way to get around the city’s most congested streets.

Well, a recent race in Portage Park proved it.

The Six Corners Association and Active Trans recently hosted a Multiple Modes of Transportation Race from the Six Corners intersection of Cicero Avenue, Irving Park Road and Milwaukee Avenue to the Irving Park Blue Line Station and back during the afternoon rush.

The "racecourse" was one mile each way. Race contenders are pictured in the photo here.  

45th Ward Alderman John Arena (in blue coat) finished first while using a Divvy bike (hurray for Divvy!), and was closely followed by the participant on his own bike. The bus rider finished second to last, just barely beating the person walking.

Here are the results, complete with mode, time and ranking: 

Divvy bike – 20 minutes, 22 seconds

Personal bike – 21 minutes, 9 seconds

Personal car – 28 minutes

Ride hailing – 32 minutes, 36 seconds

CTA Bus – 34 minutes, 39 seconds

Walking – 37 minutes, 32 seconds

This fun and instructive event was part of the Back on the Bus campaign. For this campaign, Active Trans is partnering with community residents and organizations to fight for faster, more reliable bus service. (Active Trans recently awarded five Back on the Bus mini-grants to community-based organizations, including the Six Corners Association.)

This race was held in order to spark conversation about much-needed improvements to the 80 Irving Park bus route. The bus gets stuck in traffic and at red lights while carrying about six times more people than the cars and trucks it regularly gets stuck behind. Poor quality service frustrates riders and can lead to people abandoning the bus for less efficient, affordable, healthy and green options – making congestion even worse.

In Chicago’s first-ever Bus Friendly Streets Report cards released by Active Trans last month, the Irving Park bus route garnered a D and the 45th ward received a C. Like so many other Chicago bus routes, there are clearly some speed and reliability issues with bus service in this corner of the city. See the full report for the full assessment of the Irving Park Bus and the 45th ward. You can also take a look at how your own ward or preferred route measure up.

If you use buses in the Six Corners area, the Six Corners Association wants to hear about your experience taking the bus so we can work together to fight for service improvements. Please help us understand how to improve the 80 Irving Park Bus by taking this 10-15 minute survey.

If you're interested in getting involved in advocating for prioritizing buses on Irving Park Road or a corridor in your community, sign up to become a Back on the Bus Volunteer.

This post was written by Emily Norkus, Active Trans Advocacy Intern.

Source: http://activetrans.org/blog/bikes-finish-first-northwest-side-multimodal-race

[talkcarol17-blog]

Check out FOR THE KIDS single – “Underthesea”

West-Side native and 17 year old producer, Ahmadonthebeat, links with Dallas’ Lord Byron and Rami for an 18 track SoundCloud effort. 

Ahmadonthebeat shows tons of potential — it might be the first time you’ve heard the name, but don’t be surprised if it’s not the last. 

Check out the standout single, ‘Underthesea’ here.

Source: https://www.fakeshoredrive.com/2018/11/check-out-for-the-kids-single-underthesea.html/

[talkcarol17-blog]

Bears mailbag: First half reflection, Adam Shaheen’s return, upcoming free agents and is this a playoff team?

Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports

Rejoice, Bears fans! Through eight games, the team is 5-3 and in first place. Not sure many would have expected that back in training camp.

After losing two straight games, they’ve followed it up with two straight wins and a chance for a third this Sunday against a struggling Detroit Lions team that would all but be put out of the playoff race with a loss.

As fun as the start of the season has been, the meat and potatoes of the schedule is upon the Bears and another 5-3 record should be enough to get them in. Either way, let’s dive into another week of the mailbag to answer all of your burning questions.

This is a good question and in the spirit of the midway point of the 2018 Bears season, I figured this would be a good question to kick things off.

First, I’ll start with my surprises.

Offensively, my biggest surprise has to be Taylor Gabriel. When the Bears originally gave him a four year, $26 million deal back in March, a lot of people questioned why they’d give up so much for a guy that has never been anything more than a third receiver. I think we’re quickly finding out that Gabriel has the ability to be the team’s top target on a weekly basis. He’s currently on pace for 74 receptions, 852 yards and four touchdowns. He’s also their best deep threat. Big find for general manager Ryan Pace.

Defensively, it has to be Bilal Nichols. Despite him not starting a lot and missing last week’s game, his presence as the team’s second five technique has been a huge value. Obviously it’s still early but he looks like another great mid-round gem.

My most disappointing starts with Kyle Long, and not because he’s been bad, but this is the third year in a row he’s landed on Injured Reserve. He’s due over $8 million next year, so you have to wonder if his future in Chicago is at risk. You have the feel for a guy who has spent all but one season with a pretty terrible team. He deserves better and I hope that the Bears will do right by him and come to some sort of a compromise so he can stay for 2019.

On the other side of the ball, I haven’t been overly impressed with Adrian Amos. Not to say he’s been bad by any means, but I don’t think he’s currently playing to the caliber he did last year. He and Bryce Callahan are the team’s two primary free agents and if I had to guess right now, Callahan will be the priority.

My best guess? Daniel Brown.

It’s possible that Adam Shaheen could return this weekend (assuming he practices this week), which could force the team to keep all five tight ends with Dion Sims and Ben Braunecker both battling concussions. But if injuries aren’t a factor, I can’t imagine this team keeps five tight ends, when they don’t truly use them all anyways.

Obviously Trey Burton and (unfortunately) Sims are safe, which leaves Braunecker and Brown hanging and because of how they use their tight ends, neither one would project for much playing time on offense. With this in mind, Braunecker is the better of the special teams players, which is why I think Brown could be on his way out.

Before the start of the season, I put out my schedule prediction. That had the Bears going 10-6 overall and 3-3 within the division. Obviously things have changed since that point but I’ve always thought 3-3 would be realistic, especially after losing to the Packers in Week 1.

As much as I want to project the Bears to beat the Lions both times over the next few weeks, that’ll be a lot to ask. Even for a struggling Lions team. Since 2013, the Bears have been putrid within the division, and while I believe that’ll change this year, I’m not sure I can see them making a drastic swing to a 4-2 or 5-1 record.

Here’s how I’d predict their final five division games going:

Vs Lions (Win)

Vs Vikings (Win)

At Lions (Loss)

Vs Packers (Win)

At Vikings (Loss)

I hope I’m wrong but 3-3 overall is still good enough to get them to 10-6, if they beat both the Giants and 49ers.

In my opinion, no. I’d actually argue that the defender did more to interfere with Burton than vice versa.

Overall, it was a poorly officiated game and it didn’t just go against the Bears that game. It went both ways.

I thought Akiem Hicks got away with two roughing the passer calls (hits the helmet) and also didn’t think Prince Amukamara should have been called for pass interference on either one of his two flags.

The good news? They’ll have a new officiating crew this weekend.

The bad news? We have to listen to the same broadcast crew. Maybe Chris Myers can get a few names right this time.

I’d say I’m more frustrated with Mitchell Trubisky’s accuracy at this point than I am worried and here’s why.

Almost all of his issues stem from his footwork. It’s inconsistent and something that I figured would be less of an issue as the season went on. That was one of my primary concerns with him coming out of North Carolina but to be fair, that’s with most college quarterbacks.

I have to wonder how much good working with Jared Goff in Los Angeles did for Trubisky at this point but it’s absolutely something he’s going to need to correct if he plans on being a successful quarterback in the NFL for a long period of time.

The other level to this is comfort. Head coach Matt Nagy runs a very complex offense and the offensive line hasn’t exactly been great. I think that the more comfortable Trubisky gets and the less he has to think, the more composed his game will be, which will lead to more accurate passes and better decision making.

It’s a process and while it’s been a little bit more of an up and down product to this point, I still think he has a bright future.

My guess is Shaheen’s return to the offense means nothing but good things and here is why.

It gets Sims off the damn field.

Shaheen’s biggest value was on third down and in the red zone.

Those two values can’t be understated and it will likely results in more two tight end sets, with two viable pass catching options for Trubisky. I would guess the staff will bring Shaheen along slowly but even from his first game back, I expect his impact to be felt.

The Bears health through eight games has been very impressive and likely a big reason why they’ll compete for a playoff spot down the stretch (knock on wood).

I think that we can attribute that to multiple factors, including general manager Ryan Pace’s constant search for these exact answers.

As most probably remember, Pace has been pulling his hair out over the past few seasons, trying to come up with solutions for his injury issues. From a monetary perspective, the Bears were the most injured team in the league through the John Fox era. I’m not going to say that they would have been a playoff caliber team with better health but I’d bet Fox’s win total of 14 would have been a little higher over those three years.

I think Nagy’s plan in the preseason was a strong one and I think that was particularly aided by his training staff hires in the way of Jason Loscalzo and Andre Tucker. Loscalzo’s success at Washington State was well documented and so far it has paid off in a big way. He and Cougar’s head coach Mike Leach invented the “Leach Beach,” which is now at the Bears’ facilities. It’s been said that training in soft sand helps prevent soft tissue injuries and tears in the lower body.

Either way, I’d classify this as a group effort and one that has been very successful through eight games.

The Bears will be operating with a limited amount of cap space for the first time in quite a while. This needs to be noted when talking about the upcoming off-season.

With that being said, Callahan and Amos are the team’s top two pending free agents, and while it’s possible they could choose to lock both down, I tend to believe they’ll value Callahan more than an in-the-box safety like Amos.

The one thing working in the Bears favor right now? A loaded safety market with headliners like Earl Thomas, Tyrann Mathieu and Landon Collins. Obviously some of these players may stay with their current teams but currently, I’d rank Amos sixth, maybe seventh on that list of top free agent safeties for 2019. As we saw this past year, the safety market isn’t exactly booming, so it’s possible the Bears could end up bringing him back on an affordable deal but I don’t think he’ll be their top priority.

Source: https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2018/11/7/18068218/chicago-bears-mailbag-first-half-reflection-shaheen-return-free-agents-nfl-playoff-team-trubisky