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Trump’s team of doctors were reckless to release him from Walter Reed HospitalAquinas wiredon October 6, 2020 at 3:11 pm

The Quark In The Road

Trump’s team of doctors were reckless to release him from Walter Reed Hospital

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Trump’s team of doctors were reckless to release him from Walter Reed HospitalAquinas wiredon October 6, 2020 at 3:11 pm Read More »

Marquette University promotes segregationDennis Byrneon October 6, 2020 at 3:16 pm

The Barbershop: Dennis Byrne, Proprietor

Marquette University promotes segregation

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Marquette University promotes segregationDennis Byrneon October 6, 2020 at 3:16 pm Read More »

Consistent CharacterTiffany Granton October 6, 2020 at 3:50 pm

Free Your Mind

Consistent Character

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Consistent CharacterTiffany Granton October 6, 2020 at 3:50 pm Read More »

Newsquake!Leanne Staron October 6, 2020 at 4:37 pm

Star Gazing

Newsquake!

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Newsquake!Leanne Staron October 6, 2020 at 4:37 pm Read More »

Chicago Bears: Time to take some snaps away from Anthony Miller?Patrick Sheldonon October 6, 2020 at 12:00 pm

Chicago Bears (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
Chicago Bears (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)

What is going on with the Chicago Bears’ talented wide receiver?

Two years ago, the Chicago Bears traded up in the NFL Draft to select Anthony Miller, an incredibly talented wide receiver out of Memphis. His selection was filled with excitement and optimism, most notably because of his highly touted route-running abilities as well as his mental toughness.

At the time, he seemed like the perfect No. 2 wide receiver to pair with the team’s young quarterback, Mitchell Trubisky, as well as their recently signed free agent, Allen Robinson. With a legitimate No. 1 receiver in the fold to occupy the attention of the defensive backfield, it felt like a golden opportunity for Miller to develop into a consistent and legitimate threat.

To date, that has not happened. Full disclosure, I have always been and frankly, continue to be a big Anthony Miller fan. He is so talented that it’s hard to just “give up” on that type of talent. With that said, it is time the team seriously consider reducing his snaps and giving those opportunities to either Javon Wims or Riley Ridley.

Through the first four weeks, his snap count percentages are 42, 40, 57, and 69 respectively. In those games, he has been targeted 19 times with only 9 catches. He’s had two terrific catches, each a game-winner against the Detroit Lions and Atlanta Falcons. Each catch felt like it could be the turning point, where Miller started to play more consistently.

Unfortunately, that has not come to fruition. The inconsistencies are maddening. Too many catchable passes destined for Miller, even if not characterized as drops, have fallen incomplete. Head coach Matt Nagy has also repeatedly questioned his route running as not being as precise as it needs to be.

It has led to a feeling that the Bears might be getting frustrated with Miller and his inability to unlock his potential. Regardless, the team has to explore other options. After more than two seasons, this might be who he is, and if so, they need more consistency from the No. 2 wide receiver position.

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Consequently, the team should turn to Wims, who has proven to be a terrific blocker and adept pass catcher, or Ridley, who has mysteriously been relegated to the sidelines for most of his young career. The Bears, at one point, thought highly enough to spend a fourth-round pick on him. Maybe it’s time to see what’s there. Or maybe they already know. Either way, the point is someone else should get a chance to prove they can be a more consistent No. 2 option than Miller.

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Chicago Bears: Time to take some snaps away from Anthony Miller?Patrick Sheldonon October 6, 2020 at 12:00 pm Read More »

Chicago Bulls: Carmelo Anthony, Billy Donovan reunion a possibilityRyan Heckmanon October 6, 2020 at 11:00 am

Chicago Bulls (Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports)
Chicago Bulls (Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports)

Could Carmelo Anthony be reunited with the Chicago Bulls under new head coach Billy Donovan?

For what seemed like far too long, Carmelo Anthony was without a job. After essentially being left for dead, even by the helpless Chicago Bulls once upon a time after a meaningless trade, Anthony finally reached a deal with the Portland Trail Blazers this past season.

All he did was prove he had more than enough left in the tank to contribute at a high level. The Blazers had next to no depth at the forward position, which allowed Anthony to come in and start.

Last year with Portland, Anthony averaged over 15 points per game while shooting the three ball at a 38.5 percent clip. In the playoffs, he continued averaging 15 points but upped that three-point percentage to 42 percent while adding in five rebounds, two assists and a steal.

Now, Anthony’s future is up in the air. He looks like he can still play while adding tons of experience and potentially a mentorship role for the right youngsters. Could he fit in with the Bulls, under his former Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Billy Donovan?

Anthony told veteran JJ Redick he actually enjoyed his one season in Oklahoma City on a recent podcast.

“For me personally, I actually really enjoyed my time at OKC. That team, I enjoyed it. Being around those guys, I enjoyed it. Granted, we didn’t do what we were supposed to do. The goal was to win with that team. We didn’t do it. We underachieved.”

This now begs the question, if Anthony relished his time under Donovan, would he be open to reuniting in Chicago?

It seems kind of funny that the Bulls would entertain the possibility of bringing Anthony into the fold after buying him out of a trade back in 2019.

But, we have gone into detail multiple times about new general manager Marc Eversley wanting to retool instead of calling this a “rebuild.” If that’s true, then Anthony would come in and play a major role backing up a guy like Otto Porter Jr., or even potentially starting if the Bulls were able to trade Porter’s contract.

There is no doubt the Bulls will end up making a move or two this offseason. The way Eversley spoke about believing in this being more than a 22-win team, most would agree that Chicago will be aggressive from the get-go. They aren’t going to simply wait until next offseason when the free agent pool looks a lot more tantalizing.

They may wait until 2021 to spend a ton of money, but that doesn’t rule out a trade or two, or even a middle-ground free agent signing.

For Bulls fans who wanted Anthony to sign in Chicago versus the New York Knicks back in the day, this could be a chance to finally see him lace up in the black and red.

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Chicago Bulls: Carmelo Anthony, Billy Donovan reunion a possibilityRyan Heckmanon October 6, 2020 at 11:00 am Read More »

Chicago Blackhawks: Everything to know about 2020 NHL DraftVincent Pariseon October 6, 2020 at 2:00 pm

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA - JUNE 21: Kirby Dach reacts after being selected third overall by the Chicago Blackhawks during the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft at Rogers Arena on June 21, 2019 in Vancouver, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA – JUNE 21: Kirby Dach reacts after being selected third overall by the Chicago Blackhawks during the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft at Rogers Arena on June 21, 2019 in Vancouver, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

The Chicago Blackhawks really need to hit it big with their 17th overall pick.

The Chicago Blackhawks are getting ready to draft 17th overall in the 2020 NHL Draft. It is a very important night on the NHL calendar. It is nights like this that determine the futures of franchises. Championships are built on nights like this, as the Blackhawks well know. The Blackhawks selected players like Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, and Brent Seabrook in the first round of their respective drafts and it led to tremendous sustained success. There is a lot to know about this night that could affect the league for a long time.

The first thing that you should know is a few of the prominent players that will be drafted this year. The New York Rangers, the winners of the Draft Lottery, will select Alexis Lafreniere with the first overall pick. The Los Angeles Kings will select one of Tim Stutzle or Quinton Byfield and the Ottawa Senators will get the other.

We know about the goalie, Yaroslav Askarov who will be the only goaltender to be taken in the first round. He is a tremendous goalie but most of us know that taking a player who plays that position in the first round is very risky. Some team in the top-15 is sure to take that risk.

There are a bunch of defensemen to look at in the draft but Jamie Drysdale is the cream of the crop. He is going to go to a top-eight team (you would think) and a lot depends on which forwards go where. Jake Sanderson is more than likely going to be the second defenseman taken off the board by whatever team feels that they need a defensive defenseman. His offensive ceiling isn’t as high as Drysdale’s but a lot of people like him as a two-way guy.

This is considered to be one of the best drafts in a long time. The 2003 draft is considered to be the greatest of all time and that is because a lot of players taken went on to have all-star caliber careers. Even a lot of the ones who weren’t necessarily all-stars at any point were still very good. Now, it is looking like the 2015 NHL Draft is creeping up to be one of the best.

From a potential point of view, this draft could end up being right there. Scouts see the second half of the first round to be at or near top-ten picks in most years. The top-seven are going to all be really good players in short order. If there were ever a year to have the 17th overall pick, this is the year because they are going to get a great player.

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The Blackhawks will have their choice of a group of different types of players. There will be good forwards like Connor Zary or Dylon Holloway and good defensemen like Willaim Wallinder or Kaiden Guhle. The goalie will more than likely not be there so they would have to trade up to get him if they wanted him. Either way, they need to get this right so that they add a nice young piece to this new core they are trying to build.

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Chicago Blackhawks: Everything to know about 2020 NHL DraftVincent Pariseon October 6, 2020 at 2:00 pm Read More »

Chicago Bears: 4 trade offers to make before it’s too lateRyan Heckmanon October 6, 2020 at 1:00 pm

Chicago Bears (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
Chicago Bears (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
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Chicago Bears, Nick Foles

Chicago Bears (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)

Before the season gets away, the Chicago Bears should attempt to right what’s wrong.

It seems a bit drastic to talk about the Chicago Bears letting their season get away from them, but looking at the season overall, it’s not too crazy to use that terminology. Coming off a loss where they were dominated in every aspect of the game, the Bears have some serious self-examining to do.

If D’Andre Swift catches that football in Week 1, wide open in the end zone, the Bears are instead 2-2. If Nick Foles doesn’t lead a miraculous comeback against a defense which collapsed in epic fashion, the Bears are now 1-3, with the single victory coming in a close win over the Giants.

These Bears are 3-1, but they are awfully close to being a 1-win team and have some serious holes to figure out if they are to make a playoff push. Thursday night, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers come to town after seeing the timeless Tom Brady toss five touchdowns in an impressive comeback win.

Brady isn’t going to let up. That victory over the Los Angeles Chargers was a statement to the league. He’s still here, and he’s still capable.

So, for the Bears, they have some work to do. The offense was atrocious. Head coach Matt Nagy out-smarted himself in the play calling department. Chicago couldn’t get anything going in Week 4.

But, these problems are nothing new. In fact, there have been some glaring issues with this team all season long. Before it’s too late for general manager Ryan Pace, and he loses his job, the Bears should think about one of these trade offers to right the ship in each of their messy departments.

Next: 1: An even swap

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Chicago Bears: 4 trade offers to make before it’s too lateRyan Heckmanon October 6, 2020 at 1:00 pm Read More »

Chicago Bears: Is Matt Nagy the biggest issue right now?Usayd Koshulon October 6, 2020 at 4:00 pm

Chicago Bears (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
Chicago Bears (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)

Is Chicago Bears head coach Matt Nagy the biggest issue for the team right now?

The Chicago Bears have a lot of questions right now, many of which they need to answer. In a week four loss against the Indianapolis Colts, the Bears offense looked lifeless and flat, never once having an offensive possession that lasted more than five minutes.

Lost in all this was the talk about how bad the Bears played was how badly quarterback Nick Foles played. In his first start with the Bears, Foles would have 249 passing yards, one touchdown, one interception, and post a quarterback rating of 76.4.

Furthermore, many are willing to give Foles a pass because it’s “just one game” that he and the rest of the offense struggled. Many are also unwilling to blame head coach Matt Nagy, who willingly decided to switch to Foles in week three, hoping the change at the quarterback position would yield instant results.

Right now, it doesn’t matter whether you’re a fan of Nagy or not. In just three years with the Bears, he’s sitting at 23 wins and 13 losses. Compared to what the Bears achieved under the two previous head coaches (Marc Trestman and John Fox), that’s a good record. However, it’s also inflated since 12 of those 23 wins came in 2018.

The Bears hired Nagy three years for two main reasons. First, it was to develop quarterback Mitchell Trubisky and second, to turn the Bears into an offensive powerhouse. After spending time in Kansas City under Andy Reid, Nagy knows what it’s like to build an offensive powerhouse.

Three years into his tenure with the Bears, Nagy has failed at both. He took this job knowing that he’d have to work with Trubisky. While Trubisky’s lack of development isn’t all on Nagy, bad coaching can sometimes hinder a younger player more than most think. The offense in week 4 looked like the same offense that the Bears had in 2019. Bad offensive line play, no running game, and the offense being unable to capitalize on opportunities given to them by the defense.

Compound all of the above and it’s clear that maybe Nagy doesn’t deserve the extra slack that so many are willing to cut him. Even Nagy’s playcalling has been questionable with many plays being blown up before they even have had a chance to develop.

Next: Chicago Bears: Offense doesn’t improve with Nick Foles

The point is that Nagy isn’t as good as some make him out to be. Many of the issues come down to coaching and Nagy hasn’t been perfect. Something needs to change. Now should the Bears fire Nagy? Nope. However, maybe Nagy needs to step back a bit and let his assistants make decisions, while he can continue to be head coach. It could be in his best interest to do so too.

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Chicago Bears: Is Matt Nagy the biggest issue right now?Usayd Koshulon October 6, 2020 at 4:00 pm Read More »

Chicago Blackhawks: Three players to trade during 2020 NHL DraftVincent Pariseon October 6, 2020 at 3:00 pm

SOUTH BEND, INDIANA - JANUARY 01: Tuukka Rask #40 of the Boston Bruins plays goalie next to Dylan Strome #17 of the Chicago Blackhawks in the third period during the 2019 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic at Notre Dame Stadium on January 01, 2019 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
SOUTH BEND, INDIANA – JANUARY 01: Tuukka Rask #40 of the Boston Bruins plays goalie next to Dylan Strome #17 of the Chicago Blackhawks in the third period during the 2019 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic at Notre Dame Stadium on January 01, 2019 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
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Stan Bowman Chicago Blackhawks

The Chicago Blackhawks might be willing to trade a big name during the 2020 NHL Draft.

The Chicago Blackhawks are a team that needs to improve themselves or make big changes. They have to decide if they are closer to rebuilding or a championship contender and act accordingly. It is a tough decision to make but one they need to. It might be hard to decide to rebuild with players like Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, and Duncan Keith in the mix but you never know. The 2020 NHL Draft is tonight and you may or may not get a glimpse into their plans based on what they do.

No matter what side of the coin they fall on, They might be willing to trade some of their current players in order for there to be change. They weren’t very good at all in 2019-20 but were awarded a spot in the play-in round that became a thing because of COVID-19. They won that play-in series against a very top-heavy Edmonton Oilers team but that doesn’t mean they were good at all.

They were humbled quickly by the Vegas Golden Knights in the first round of the playoffs. Vegas is much closer to being a Cup contender and they made the Hawks look pretty awful for most games. If it weren’t for Corey Crawford, things would have been even worse. They are in trouble if they return the exact same team again in 2020-21. If they want to start making big changes, these are three players that they might be willing to trade tonight or tomorrow during the 2020 NHL Draft:

Next: Brandon Saad

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Chicago Blackhawks: Three players to trade during 2020 NHL DraftVincent Pariseon October 6, 2020 at 3:00 pm Read More »