If it feels as if the Chicago Bears have been trying to find a serviceable quarterback for most of your life, you would be absolutely correct.
The ChicagoBears absolutely need some help at the quarterback position.
After a disappointing season from both Nick Foles and Mitch Trubisky, the Bears are desperate to find an adequate regular starter under center for the 2021 season. Head coach Matt Nagy and general manager Ryan Pace have already been promised that they will be returning next season, meaning it’s crucial that they improve the offense in 2021.
The Bears ranked 22nd in passing yards last season and 13th in the NFC. Only the Washinton Football Team, Philadelphia Eagles, and Giants had fewer passing yards than the Bears last season. Rumors were swirling for nearly a week that the Bears were on the verge of giving up the farm for Eagles QB Carson Wentz.
This brings us to our topic of discussion today. What is going on with the Bears QB situation? The reality of it is that nothing major (at least publicly) has happened with regards to the team acquiring a new quarterback. Yet, Bears fans have already had no less than six meltdowns in the past five weeks.
Last month, unverified sources proclaimed that the Bears were the frontrunner for Eagles QB Carson Wentz and that a trade was “inevitable.” In reality, the Bears didn’t even make an offer according to NFL insider Jay Glazer. Quickly, Bears fans were already arguing over whether or not they should include a second first-round pick in their offer.
Fast-forward to now and you will find fans all over social media convinced that the Bears are about to land (or have already landed) Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson. Rumors have been swirling for over a week now with insider Adam Schefter stating that the Bears are one of three remaining teams that Wilson would want to be traded to (along with the New Orleans Saints and Las Vegas Raiders).
Whether or not Wilson and the Seahawks even desire a trade remains to be seen but that hasn’t stopped Bears fans from refreshing Twitter every 10 seconds. On Tuesday afternoon, insider Josina Anderson tweeted that she felt that the Bears “have to find a way to make something happen at QB,” insinuating that the team can include Super Bowl Champion Nick Foles in a deal.
Just a few hours later, Anderson tweeted one word: “Welp.” That’s it. One word. That’s all it took for the Bears fanbase to be convinced that Russell Wilson was on his way to Chicago. Within hours, social media was ablaze with excitement over a Wilson to Chicago deal.
This is where we’re at, people? So Russell Wilson is on a Boeing 737 (think Southwest Airlines) sized private jet and is going to be having a press conference at O’Hare Airport? Even in Hollywood, that’s just not realistic.
We can’t blame Bears fans for being excited about the possibility. After all, Adam Schefter saying that the Bears would be one of three teams with a shot to land Wilson is absolutely reason to, at the very least, be hopeful that they would at least make a serious run at him.
The truth of the matter is that Bears fans are desperate. Unfortunately, that desperation can sometimes lead to some rather irrational thinking. That’s not to say that that’s necessarily a bad thing. That’s half the fun of being a fan and it’s great to have hope and optimism for the future.
It’s important, however, to remember that most of the ado has been quite literally about nothing. Ideally, this all ends with Russell Wilson traded to the Bears and the ado was completely justified. But so far, there’s been no solid evidence to indicate that Wilson is even close to being traded to anyone, much less the Bears.
Fortunately, we’ll gain a bit more clarity in the coming weeks as teams solidify their rosters in free agency and the draft. Until then, all Bears fans can do is hope and dream. Luckily for them, we’re quite good at that at this point in the franchise’s history.
ChicagoBulls (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
The Chicago Bulls are 16-18 at the halfway mark of the 2021 NBA season. They are ranked ninth in the Eastern Conference and are on the fringe of competing in the play-in tournament come May.
The Chicago Bulls have had some ups and downs so far in 2020-21.
In an overall sense, the Bulls have exceeded many expectations thus far. They still have 38 games to play through the rest of the season and they have already picked up 16 wins in just the middle of this season.
The Bulls’ offense is seriously astounding so far. They rank sixth in the NBA in scoring averaging 115 points per game. They also have the third-highest team shooting percentage in the NBA as they are shooting 48.6 percent collectively.
On the flip side, the Bulls have work to do on defense. The team gives up the sixth-most points to their opponents with 115.2 points per game. They also allow the sixth-highest shooting percentage to their opponents at 47.6 percent per game.
The young squad could also use some work making smart decisions with the ball considering they give up 16 turnovers per game which the second-most in the NBA. The Bulls commit 20.1 fouls per game (21st in the NBA) and give up 24.7 free throw attempts per game to their opponents (26th in the NBA) too.
Here are the player grades for the halfway mark of the season. Keep in mind that some players should take an incompletion grade for their small sample size of play. Disregard the players included below.
Incompletes (10 or fewer games played) — Chandler Hutchison, Devon Dotson, Cristiano Felicio, Adam Mokoka, Luke Kornet
There are no restrictions to shopping or important decisions. The moon is in Pisces.
Aries (March 21-April 19)
It’s Friday and this is a pleasant, feel-good day. (Thank heavens.) You are happy to keep a low profile but you will enjoy talking to younger people and sharing ideas. You might even want to teach or enlighten someone about something because it looks like you have something to say!
Taurus (April 20-May 20)
This is a lovely day for a heart-to-heart discussion with a friend or a group because everyone has a warm feeling in their tummy. People will be sympathetic to each other and happy to see each other. This is also a good day to discuss goals. Why not bounce your ideas off someone else?
Gemini (May 21-June 20)
Relations with parents, bosses, teachers and VIPs are excellent. In fact, they are so warm, some of you might develop a crush on a boss or someone in a position of authority. Don’t be surprised if someone wants your creative advice about something.
Cancer (June 21-July 22)
You might become interested in someone who is different. Or perhaps you will feel attracted to someone on the Internet who is far away? Because your appreciation of beauty is heightened, give yourself a chance to enjoy the beautiful creations of others.
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)
Keep your pockets open because gifts, goodies and favors from others might come your way. In addition, this is a passionate day for romantic Leos. New love might begin while existing relationships will get hot and steamy! (Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!)
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
This is a lovely day for a warm discussion with those who are closest to you — friends, partners and spouses. People are mutually sympathetic today, which is why they’re quick to bond and enjoy the company of others. It’s a good day for a heart-to-heart talk about any concerns you might have.
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
Because you feel warm-hearted and sympathetic to others today, you’re willing to go more than halfway to get the job done. You will help coworkers or help others. You might also be involved in health-related matters or something to do with a pet.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
This is a fabulous, creative day for you! If you are involved in the arts, working with children, sports or anything to do with the entertainment world and the hospitality industry, respect your creative, original ideas! Your imagination is ripe and fertile today.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)
This is a lovely day to entertain at home if it’s possible — perhaps the people in your bubble? Or you might do some home entertaining via Zoom? Family discussions will be mutually sympathetic. You will also enjoy redecorating and tweaking your digs.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
This is a feel-good day, which is why you will enjoy talking to daily contacts, siblings and relatives. Relations with others are so successful you might even see ways to make money from your words. You will appreciate your surroundings and appreciate the people in your life.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)
If shopping today, you will want to buy beautiful things for yourself and others, particularly art or pretty items that are mystical and imaginative. However, some of you might have original, clever, money-making ideas? Fortunately, you’re keen to share your ideas with others because Mercury is in your sign.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)
Today the moon is lined up with fair Venus in your sign, which makes you diplomatic, tactful and charming with everyone. (Oh yes, we can take you anywhere.) This is also an excellent day to buy wardrobe items for yourself. Yes this includes shoes and boots!
If Your Birthday Is Today
Actress Jaimie Alexander (1984) shares your birthday. You have refined tastes and an excellent memory. You are strong-minded and competitive. Success is important to you. This year will be a more easygoing year. Your smart choice will be to cooperate because your relations with others will benefit you, even business and personal relationships. Grab every chance to practice kindness and be helpful.
It was a game that set up well for the Bulls. They had almost the entire squad back and were facing a 76ers team that was missing All-Stars Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. It didn’t turn out well, however.
There was a lot for the Bulls to reflect on by the time Thursday night came to an end.
First, it was the one-year anniversary of the coronavirus’ shutdown of the NBA and, basically, the entire sports world.
“There was no real testing going on,’’ Bulls coach Billy Donovan said. “There was nothing with masks or anything like that. So when [Jazz center Rudy] Gobert tested positive, the guys wanted to play. The game was postponed or canceled, and I just said to the guys, ‘Listen, we’ll get up and down tomorrow in practice. We’ll scrimmage. We’ll use that time.’ I never saw our guys again until July 8.’’
Second, there was a reminder of Zach LaVine’s arrival on the NBA’s elite stage as he was added to Team USA’s player pool for the Tokyo Olympics.
“I just think the All-Star Game, what you’re talking about with the Olympics, the fact that [LaVine is] being recognized for the work he’s put in and what he’s done, it’s a great testament to him and how he’s grown and continued to get better as a player,’’ Donovan said.
But here’s what stood out the most for Donovan: the all-too familiar reminder of the his team’s lackadaisical start to the season.
Hosting the 76ers, who were missing All-Stars Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, the Bulls (16-19) pulled out all the bad habits in their 127-105 loss. From fouling too much to too many turnovers to falling asleep on the defensive end to being way too soft in the paint and having chemistry issues offensively, it was across-the-board embarrassing.
And embarrassing right from the tip.
After being outscored by seven in the first quarter, the Bulls crawled into the halftime locker room already committing 10 turnovers that led to 13 points by the 76ers. Oh, it got worse.
By the end, it was 19 turnovers, but the Bulls also allowed a season-worst 78 points in the paint. Reserve big man Dwight Howard of the 76ers had 18 points and 12 rebounds in only 24 minutes.
“We didn’t deserve to win the game, and we didn’t deserve to be in the game,’’ Donovan said. “I thought we had made some really positive strides [going into the break], but we took some major steps backward. I felt like our defense was getting better from where it was at the start of the season and had progressed, but I didn’t think our guards did a very good job of getting into the ball, and I didn’t think our bigs protected the rim very well.
“We were all out of sorts on both ends of the floor.’’
LaVine wasn’t going to argue with that point.
“We just couldn’t stop anybody,’’ LaVine said. “It seemed like we just weren’t ready to play these guys. It just seemed like we walked into the game.’’
The 76ers sprinted into it.
The one positive was that Lauri Markkanen returned after missing the previous 13 games with a sprained right shoulder. He scored 23 points and went 8-for-11 from the field, including 7-for-7 from three-point range.
That’s not too shabby for a guy who was struggling to find practice time the last week.
But did the return of Markkanen and Otto Porter Jr. mess with the rhythm and roles that had been established in their absence?
“We don’t have a lot of time to try to mess around with that,’’ LaVine said. “We’ve got to figure it out. We’re all pros and will figure out how to make it work.’’
Seven people were shot March 11, 2021 in Chicago. | Sun-Times file photo
In the day’s first reported attack, a 17-year-old boy was shot near Horner Park on the Northwest Side.
Seven people were shot Thursday in Chicago, including a 21-year-old woman grazed in a shooting in Parkway Gardens on the South Side.
She was walking to her vehicle just before midnight in the 6400 block of South King Drive when she heard gunshots and dropped to the ground, Chicago police said. She realized she had suffered a graze wound to the thigh and was transported to the University of Chicago Medical Center in good condition, police said.
A 37-year-old man was seriously wounded in a shooting in Lawndale on the West Side. The shooting happened about 11 p.m. in the 1300 block of South Millard Avenue, police said.
The man suffered five gunshot wounds to the lower backside and three to the leg, police said. He was transported to Mount Sinai Hospital where he was listed in serious condition, police said. He would not provide officers with any information about the shooting, police said.
About two hours earlier, a man was critically wounded in a shooting in Chatham on the South Side.
The man, 31, was shot about 8:55 p.m. while he unloaded items from his vehicle in the 700 block of East 84th Place, police said. He ran to his apartment with five gunshot wounds to his upper body and was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in critical condition, police said.
Another man was critically wounded in a shooting in Lawndale on the West Side.
The man, 35, was shot in the abdomen about 7 p.m. in the 1600 block of South Spaulding Avenue, police said. He was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in critical condition, police said.
Thursday afternoon a man was shot in the East Side neighborhood.
The man, 20, was walking about 3:25 p.m. when someone fired shots at him in the 10600 block of Avenue F, police said. He was struck in the foot and taken to Trinity Hospital in good condition, police said.
A 33-year-old man was shot and wounded in an alley Thursday afternoon in the Englewood neighborhood.
A gunman approached about 2:40 p.m. and shot him in the leg in the 1800 block of West 71st Street, according to a statement from police. The man went to Holy Cross Hospital for treatment, police said. He was listed in fair-to-serious condition, Chicago fire spokesman Larry Merritt said.
In the day’s first reported attack, a 17-year-old boy took himself to a hospital after being shot near Horner Park on the border of the Albany Park and Ravenswood Manor neighborhoods.
The shooting happened about 6:10 a.m. in the 2700 block of West Montrose Avenue, according to preliminary information from Chicago Police Department spokeswoman Karie James. Shortly after, he walked into Swedish Hospital with a gunshot wound to his forearm, James said. He was listed in good condition.
Yarbor allegedly entered a home in the 6100 block of South Carpenter Street and unleashed gunfire, shooting Wylie-Hill multiple times in the head and body, police said.
It was not immediately clear whether there was any relationship between the Yarbor and Wylie-Hill, but the incident was not investigated as a break-in or home invasion, according to police.
Yarbor was arrested Wednesday in Roseland. He is scheduled to appear in bond court Friday.
Join Draft Dr. Phil and Shayne “The Smartest Man” for Keepin It 100 as they look for the real truth in Pace and Nagy’s game plan. Plus the guys are joined by ESPN 1000’s David Kaplan as they navigate the choppy quarterback waters with free agency looming next week!
The owner of the Iron Pen and rising media superstar Rob Schaefer jumps on the Big Red Bus for a lively discussion on the future of the Bulls including Zach LaVine, Lauri, Thad Young, and potential changes to the roster.
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