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Fifty years of classic rock classicsHoward Mooreon August 30, 2020 at 10:45 am

I’ve Got The Hippy Shakes

Fifty years of classic rock classics

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Fifty years of classic rock classicsHoward Mooreon August 30, 2020 at 10:45 am Read More »

Better than Flannery on Fire, Watch Berkowitz w/14th CD R cand Oberweis in Chicago this morning 8:30 am & in Aurora tmw evening 6 pm & on web 24/7Jeff Berkowitzon August 30, 2020 at 9:27 am

Public Affairs with Jeff Berkowitz

Better than Flannery on Fire, Watch Berkowitz w/14th CD R cand Oberweis in Chicago this morning 8:30 am & in Aurora tmw evening 6 pm & on web 24/7

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Better than Flannery on Fire, Watch Berkowitz w/14th CD R cand Oberweis in Chicago this morning 8:30 am & in Aurora tmw evening 6 pm & on web 24/7Jeff Berkowitzon August 30, 2020 at 9:27 am Read More »

#FreeUpTheMailcitizen john q publicon August 30, 2020 at 4:01 pm

Go Do Good!

#FreeUpTheMail

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#FreeUpTheMailcitizen john q publicon August 30, 2020 at 4:01 pm Read More »

More messy reportingDennis Byrneon August 30, 2020 at 3:17 pm

The Barbershop: Dennis Byrne, Proprietor

More messy reporting

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More messy reportingDennis Byrneon August 30, 2020 at 3:17 pm Read More »

What Do You Think, Doctor?Joe Imperato, MD, FACRon August 30, 2020 at 5:53 pm

Health Care Mythologies

What Do You Think, Doctor?

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What Do You Think, Doctor?Joe Imperato, MD, FACRon August 30, 2020 at 5:53 pm Read More »

Where the hell are my former professional journalism colleagues?Dennis Byrneon August 30, 2020 at 4:50 pm

The Barbershop: Dennis Byrne, Proprietor

Where the hell are my former professional journalism colleagues?

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Where the hell are my former professional journalism colleagues?Dennis Byrneon August 30, 2020 at 4:50 pm Read More »

Are the Republican and Democratic parties experiencing a sea change?Dennis Byrneon August 30, 2020 at 5:57 pm

The Barbershop: Dennis Byrne, Proprietor

Are the Republican and Democratic parties experiencing a sea change?

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Are the Republican and Democratic parties experiencing a sea change?Dennis Byrneon August 30, 2020 at 5:57 pm Read More »

Chicago Bears: Not much new learned at scrimmagePatrick Sheldonon August 30, 2020 at 12:00 pm

Chicago Bears (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
Chicago Bears (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

The Chicago Bears gave little insight into the QB competition.

The Chicago Bears held their most meaningful practice on Saturday afternoon as the team took part in an intraday as scrimmage.

There was a lot about it that looked like a real game, including a video the Bears PR team tweeted out showing the team running out of the tunnel. But as the camera panned toward an empty stadium, the surreal nature of the game became evident.

Nevertheless, it was an important day for head coach Matt Nagy and the rest of the coaching staff as they try to figure out (assuming they haven’t already) who will start at quarterback in Week 1 against the Detroit Lions.

However, for fans who were hoping to glean some insight into who the starter would be, that opportunity would not come. For starters, neither quarterback separated themselves in the competition. Once again it was a battle to not be as bad as the other guy. Unfortunately, that’s not going to be enough for the Bears to make enough progress on offense.

Fans had hoped that one of the two would step up in this type of situation and prove why they deserved the starting role. Instead, they were treated to more inconsistency and uncertainty as Nagy indicated he wasn’t in any rush to name a starter.

The other notable takeaway from the scrimmage was that the defense was — well — the defense. They continue to dominate at all three levels. The front seven were getting pressure and the secondary was blanketing the wide receivers and picking off passes (Kyle Fuller intercepted Mitch Trubisky twice and Xavier Crawford nearly picked off a third).

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It’s a familiar refrain for Bears fans. The defense looks stout and confident while the offense fumbles its way around the field looking nothing like the top 20 unit it needs to be to have a legitimate shot at the playoffs.

Next: Bears will lean on defense early

Im what must feel like Groundhog Day for Bears fans, the team will enter the first game of the regular season with uncertainty surrounding the quarterback position. The only thing you can count on us you’re probably not going to be able to count on either of these quarterbacks.

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Chicago Bears: Not much new learned at scrimmagePatrick Sheldonon August 30, 2020 at 12:00 pm Read More »

Chicago Cubs: Craig Kimbrel should be removed as the closerVincent Pariseon August 30, 2020 at 2:00 pm

Chicago Cubs (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
Chicago Cubs (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

The Chicago Cubs keep using Craig Kimbrel and it continues to hurt them more and more.

The Chicago Cubs are not having the best time right now. They have lost a good amount of games over the past two weeks and there are a lot of reasons for that. The best hitters on the team are ice cold and some of the starters haven’t been as good as they were to start the season. With that said, their bullpen has been the biggest issue all season long. It is always capped off by lousy performances by Craig Kimbrel.

He was at one time one of the greatest closers who ever lived and that earned him a pretty nice contract with the Cubs. What the Cubs failed to realize was that he was starting to really fall off at the end of his Boston Red Sox career and he carried that negative trend over with the Cubs. He has been bad since his first appearance with the club and it has gotten even worse this year.

He blew a huge game for the Cubs on Saturday night. The Cubs had rallied back to take the lead over the Cincinnati Reds but he was on the mound when they came back to win in the bottom of the seventh inning. It was a seven-inning game because it was the nightcap of a doubleheader. The Reds had the bases loaded and Kimbrel threw a wild pitch to give the Reds a 6-5 victory over the Cubs. It was a bad look for David Ross as leaving him in even though he didn’t have his good stuff was a big mistake.

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That should be the final straw for the Cubs. He shouldn’t be on the mound in high leverage situations anymore. That ship has sailed and the faster the coaches learn it, the better off they will be. If they don’t get this thing fixed and fast, they will be in big trouble down the stretch. It is pretty sad that it has come to this and you really hate to see it but it is what it is. Anyone else would be better for them as the closer at this point.

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Chicago Cubs: Craig Kimbrel should be removed as the closerVincent Pariseon August 30, 2020 at 2:00 pm Read More »

Chicago Bears: Nick Foles doesn’t fix all the offense’s issuesUsayd Koshulon August 30, 2020 at 1:00 pm

Chicago Bears (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
Chicago Bears (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)

Even if the Chicago Bears elect to start Nick Foles, he won’t fix all of the offense’s issues.

When the Chicago Bears traded for Nick Foles back in March, the move was viewed as one that would give the franchise a short-term solution to the quarterback position. For many Bears fans, Foles magical Super Bowl run just three years ago was enough to pull the Bears out of quarterback purgatory.

However, ever since the Bears traded for Foles, there’s been a common misconception amongst Bears fans. Many assume that if Foles starts, the issues that plagued the Bears offense in 2019 will go away. That simply isn’t true.

Let’s be honest here: Foles is a “franchise quarterback” for Bears fans merely because he went on a magical run a few years ago. Notice how there are quotation marks around franchise quarterback in the last sentence. Foles isn’t going to carry the Bears in 2020. He’s not going to take over games either. He’s merely going to do enough to get by so that the Bears defense isn’t on the field for half the game.

Back in January, Bears general manager Ryan Pace used the term regression when asked why the Bears finished the season with just eight wins. Pace used the correct terminology when describing the 2019 Bears. On offense, the offensive line regressed, there was little production out of the tight end position, the running game was below average, and at wide receiver, the team had no legitimate threat besides Allen Robinson.

You can look at Foles stats and try to convince yourself that he’s got what it takes to get the job done. The point is this: For Foles to be effective, the offensive line needs to be playing at a high level. The running game, despite the injury to David Montgomery, needs to effective as well. Wide receivers other than Robinson need to step up as well.

If the things in the paragraph above can happen, then the Bears will be in a situation where they’ll be able to have an offense that can move the ball effectively. The offense also needs to play mistake-free football, not committing penalities that will hold the whole unit back once momentum starts to build.

Next: Chicago Bears: Five concerns about QB competition

On Saturday, head coach Matt Nagy stated that the team would not be naming a starting quarterback until the Bears first game of the season, which is scheduled to take place in two weeks. Whether the starting quarterback is Foles or Trubisky, the rest of the positional groups on offense need to be playing at a high level if the quarterback is going to have any sort of impact in 2020.

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Chicago Bears: Nick Foles doesn’t fix all the offense’s issuesUsayd Koshulon August 30, 2020 at 1:00 pm Read More »