CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – MARCH 03: Kirby Dach #77 of the Chicago Blackhawks shoots against the Anaheim Ducks at the United Center on March 03, 2020 in Chicago, Illinois. The Blackhawks defeated the Ducks 6-2. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
The ChicagoBlackhawks have seen their top prospect Kirqby Dach step into the NHL and stick. He has had an up and down season but the future is bright.
The Chicago Blackhawks struck gold in 2019 when they moved up 12 spots in the NHL Draft Lottery. They were in the playoff race for the most part in 2018-19 but fell short and then won the third draft lottery spot. They selected Kirby Dach with the third pick. Out of all of the great centers available to them and the big defenseman Bowen Byram, they decided to roll with Dach.
Dach was impressive in training camp and he made the team. Then after making the team, he was good enough in his first nine games which forced the Blackhawks to burn the first year of his entry-level contract. Since then, you can say it has been an up and down season. That is what everyone should expect from teenagers that are lucky enough to be in the National Hockey League.
When Dach was drafted, and even now, a good comparison for him is Ryan Getzlaf of the Anaheim Ducks. Getzlaf should be a familiar name to Chicago Blackhawks fans as the Hawks and Ducks have had some amazing duels over the recent years. One of those included an epic seven-game series in the Western Conference Finals.
It might not seem fair to compare Dach to a Stanley Cup Champion that has 965 points in 1053 games played. However, it is his size and skill set that earns Dach that type of comparison. If Dach goes on to have that borderline Hall of Fame career then the Blackhawks would be thrilled. Dach is a big boy that is only going to get better as time goes on.
Dach had an up and down year leading up to the NHL’s pause. He has eight goals and 15 assists for 23 points. Those are good numbers for an 18-year-old that had limited ice time in his rookie year. Once he fills out a little bit more he should take over for Jonathan Toews as the team’s number once center someday. This was a good year for Kirby Dach as he was afforded the opportunity to learn in the NHL instead of being sent back to the Saskatoon Blades for another season.
If the pause ends and the league is afforded the opportunity to finish the year, Dach will get more opportunity to grow on the ice. If not, he will be able to go train hard over the summer for the 2020-21 campaign.
The ChicagoBears said that they were committed to Mitchell Trubisky, but it turns out that the folks at Halas Hall had another idea in mind….
Well, it started with the Chicago Bearsspeaking with Teddy Bridgewater, but the Bears unfortunately ended up going another direction. Ryan Pace & Co. decided to explore all options that they had at their disposal. With Bridgewater out of the fold, would the Bears decide on trading for Andy Dalton? Maybe even work out a deal for former MVP Cam Newton?
Instead, Chicago decided to part ways with a compensatory fourth-round draft pick and acquire Jacksonville Jaguars signal caller, Nick Foles. Now, you may be asking yourself, “Hey, what does this mean for Mitchell Trubisky?”
Don’t worry, the same exact thought process was running through my head as I read the news breaking tweet. I spent the first few minutes trying my best to breakdown what kind of compensation the Bears would receive by taking on Foles’ contract when suddenly the news came in…
The Bears weren’t receiving a draft pick in return for taking on Jacksonville’s salary dump. Immediately, I thought that I had to be reading the NFL Network’s ticker incorrectly… I took a sip of my coffee on my desk and thought, “What in the world is Ryan Pace doing?”
Bears Get
Nick Foles | QB
Jaguars Get
Compensatory 4th Round Pick (2020)
As articles, tweets and opinions started to pour in, I couldn’t help but think about the ramifications this could potentially have for the Bears moving forward. What would the future hold for former second-overall pick, Mitchell Trubisky? How does this affect the Bears cap space? Is Ryan Pace trying to save his job?
While mulling over all of the possible answers to the thoughts running through my head, more Bears news broke via ESPN’s Adam Schefter… Nick Foles and the Bears brass had agreed to restructure his contract to a three-year deal with $21 million guaranteed on the deal. The catch? Foles would now have the ability to void the deal after either of the first-two years depending on how he performed for the Bears.
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Why is this important? Well, it’s a safety net for Foles because if he plays well he can opt out for a pay raise, but if he underperforms he knows he’ll be collecting a sizable check anyways. How does this benefit the Bears, you ask? Well, Chicago clears off some of Foles’ annual cap hit which helps with retooling the existing roster.
So, what are the Bears getting in Nick Foles? Unfortunately, Foles 2019 campaign was cut to only four games with the Jacksonville Jaguars due to a broken collarbone.
While rallying back from injury, Foles was able to accumulate 736 passing yards and 3 touchdown passes. However, prior to his brief stint in Jacksonville, Foles was coming off back-to-back playoff appearances with the Philadelphia Eagles, which included a Super Bowl and MVP trophy. Couple that with the fact that Foles has an extensive history with the Bears current coaching staff, and the strategy behind the trade starts to come into clarity.
With all this being said, we’re still left to wonder, “How did the Bears get here?” The answer is a little difficult to dissect. However, one thing is clear to me — Ryan Pace wanted Teddy Bridgewater badly. Why do I say that?
There’s no other explanation for why Pace would’ve jumped out of the gate for Bridgewater the way he did except for that the former New Orlean Saint was his top-choice to add to the Bears quarterback room. Pace, a General Manager known for his conviction came out flying in pursuit of the Louisville product, but a deal never materialized.
Next in line? Rumor has it that it was none other than Cincinnati Bengals passer, Andy Dalton. What happened? I have to believe that the Bengals were asking for more than the Bears were willing to part with for “competition.” Then the Halas hopeful arrived at their final destination… Duval County.
Now, I do not know what will end up happening during Nick Foles tenure with the Chicago Bears. Will it last all three-years or will it be a one-and-done scenario? Are the Bears still going to target a quarterback in the upcoming draft? I’m not entirely sure, but what I do know is that I’m at least encouraged by the fact that the Bears seem to be starting to understand that Mitchell Trubisky is not the answer under center. What does the future hold for the Bears in 2020? We shall see.
The Chicago Bears are now at the point where they should trade Mitchell Trubisky.
The Chicago Bears did it! They got themselves another quarterback. Nick Foles is coming to Chicago. He is being traded to the Bears for a fourth-round pick going back to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Adam Schefter dropped the news on the world that should see Gardner Minshew take over as Jacksonville’s quarterback. Foles is coming to Chicago, who desperately needed an upgrade at the position.
Foles is not a superstar and he is on an expensive contract. He is going to need to be the guy who scores enough points to take advantage of their sweet defense. He doesn’t need to be Patrick Mahomes or Tom Brady, but he needs to be just good enough. It is fair to wonder if he will be able to do that but he has in the past. When Carson Wentz went down in 2017 due to injury while having an MVP caliber season, Foles stepped in and led them to their first Super Bowl victory in franchise history.
With all of that comes the question about Mitchell Trubisky. He was drafted second overall in the 2017 NFL draft to be the Bears franchise quarterback. That looked like it might be possible after the 2018 season saw him go 13-3 but in 2019 he was a complete mess for the most part.
Now that Foles is coming to town, it makes you wonder if the Bears are going to shop Trubisky around. It seems unlikely, sure. But, it would be worth Ryan Pace cutting ties and drafting the future to come in behind Foles.
There are teams that might see him as a project that they can fix or a team might see him as an upgrade to their backup spot. These are three trade packages that would make sense for Trubisky and the Bears.
As announced a few minutes ago, the ChicagoBears have traded a fourth-round pick for quarterback Nick Foles. This changes everything.
Nick Foles, former Super Bowl 52 MVP, the guy who beat Tom Brady, is coming to Chicago. It looks like the Mitchell Trubisky era as a Bear has slowly faded away. The number two overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft is about to be the number two quarterback on the Bears roster.
In January of 2019, Foles beat Trubisky in Trubisky’s first (and only) career playoff game. Little did many Bears fans know that Foles would be taking his job two seasons later. It’s really shocking to me when I think about it.
I’m sure many fans are glad to see Trubisky go, or at least be forced to work for his spot, but I’m not. I’m a big supporter of Trubisky and I think the Bears can win with him. If not here, he’ll win somewhere else.
I had a feeling last season that Matt Nagy was all done with Trubisky. Now, Nagy brings in a quarterback he likes in Foles, everything changes. Foles has worked with multiple guys on Nagy’s staff, so this might be a good fit for the two.
In exchange for QB Nick Foles, the Bears are giving up their compensatory fourth-round pick, No. 140 overall, which now gives the Jaguars 12 picks in the upcoming draft.
I just don’t think this is the right move for the Bears. If there was going to be a successful move, it would have been trading for Derek Carr. Carr is three years younger, has a cannon for an arm, and has found success on some terrible Raiders’ teams. He would be the perfect guy to push Trubisky for his spot.
With Nagy’s bias towards former players he worked with under Andy Reid, I expect Foles to be the starter Week 1 unless Foles isn’t healthy. I wouldn’t be shocked to see Trubisky get shipped off somewhere else to play.
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I hope I’m wrong but I think this is the wrong move for Chicago. Foles really has only had one good season, the rest has been average at best. If Nagy can get him working at a Super Bowl MVP level again, I’ll be happy. I just don’t see where this benefits anyone.
If the Bears are smart, they’ll try to move Trubisky. It’s the best move right now. Ryan Pace already regrets his draft choice in 2017, the trade for Foles is his way to “redeem” himself. A good trade place for Trubisky could be New England.
The Patriots lost Brady to the Buccaneers, why not try to find a short-term replacement in Trubisky? There will be many options for Trubisky now, especially if he doesn’t win the starting role this summer.
This is all shocking news, so these could be overreactions from my point. I stand by this one point, Foles is not the correct move for the Bears. I agree that there needs to be competition at the position, but this wasn’t the right call.
Could Andy Dalton be on his way to the ChicagoBears? One well-respected source thinks Matt Nagy would prefer the Cincinnati Bengals passer.
Day 3 of NFL free agency is underway, and now, teams can soon make signings official. The Chicago Bears have made two notable moves thus far, bringing in a couple of veterans — one on each side of the ball.
On Day 1, the Bears signed tight end Jimmy Graham to a 2-year deal worth $16 million. While that was a questionable move, Ryan Pace made a much stronger move on Day 2.
Tuesday, Pace agreed to terms with two-time Pro Bowler and former All Pro pass rusher Robert Quinn, adding to an already-stacked defense.
Now, on Day 3, we may see some quarterback movement start to unfold. With Tom Brady choosing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Philip Rivers heading to the Indianapolis Colts and Teddy Bridgewater agreeing with the Carolina Panthers, other quarterbacks around the league will begin to move as well.
Still on the market is a guy like Jameis Winston, who is a very polarizing player but might be an upgrade over Mitchell Trubisky. But, the odds are, Chicago might end up trading for a quarterback if anything..
BRIAN URLACHER CHICAGO BEARS NFL CAREER STATS BOBBLEHEAD
Many outlets have reported that the decision could be down to either Foles or Dalton, though, and one Chicago insider believes he knows which one Matt Nagy prefers.
David Kaplan, of NBC Sports and a regular on ESPN 1000, said on air Wednesday morning that he believes Nagy prefers Dalton over Foles.
If that is the case, Bears fans better get used to the idea of a true quarterback competition in training camp. Instead of bringing in a surefire starter and sending Trubisky to the bench, it seems as though the Bears brass will have a hard time moving on from the former no. 2 overall pick.
As a fan, it’s tough to come to this realization. Many feel that Trubisky is not the guy and never will be, and with a roster that is clearly ready to win right now, the offense could be so much more with a clear-cut upgrade at quarterback.
Maybe Pace continues to explore other options, especially if Newton hits the open market. Should the Panthers indeed cut him, Pace would have to be in on Newton. If not, watching what the Raiders do in the upcoming draft will be intriguing as well, just in case Carr also becomes available.
Just moments later, the Panthers were set to sign quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, making him the face of the franchise in Carolina for the next three years. With that, it was all but confirmed that Newton would be in a different uniform in 2020.
Just 24 hours last, a report confirms that the Bears have been in contact with the Panthers about a trade that could see Newton play in the Windy City in 2020. It makes sense for both sides. He’s got just one-year left on his current contract and the Bears are in win-now mode.
However, keep one thing in mind. The Bears trading for Newton wouldn’t just be a one-year rental. General manager Ryan Pace would need to extend Newton at some point during the 2021 offseason because this is someone who when healthy, is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL.
It’s hard to predict what kind of compensation the Panthers would want for Newton considering they’ve got little to no leverage. On Tuesday, via Instagram, Newton posted that the Panthers were forcing him out of Carolina.
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First off, there’s no way that the Panthers are going to get any first-rounders for Newton, The Bears don’t have a first-round pick until 2021 and they’ll need that pick to fill a position that could become a need next offseason.
Second, an elite defense, as mentioned above is something that the Bears can offer that other teams cannot. For so many years in Carolina, Newton was asked to carry the team. In Chicago, he’d be the face of the offense but he wouldn’t have to do all the work in terms of winning games.
The one red flag to consider is this: Newton’s injury history. Due to the current situation of the United States because of COVID-19, the NFL is not allowing teams to bring in players for physicals. This means if the Bears trade for Newton, they’ll be doing so without knowing how healthy he is.
The ball is in Pace’s court at this point. Newton would be an upgrade over any quarterback the Bears have ever had in the Pace era and Pace could save his job beyond 2020 if he’s willing to pull the trigger on a trade that would bring Newton to Chicago.
Without that win, Democrats might still be running around like chickens with their heads off (look up the reference, non-Boomers) with no one person to rally behind.
He can also thank Pete Buttigieg, Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobucchar, who one by one, dropped out of the race.
But Biden should write the floweriest thank you note to none other than Donald J. Trump. Yes, Joe Biden’s meteoric rise to be the candidate most likely to appear at the top of the Democratic ticket can be attributed to our collective, our united disdain of Donald J. Trump.
By now, I don’t think I have to explain why there’s massive contempt for him if you’re a Democrat or a Republican with a conscience and a brain. As one of my friends said, “I’d vote for a chimpanzee before I’d vote for Donald Trump.”
Some voters are sadly disappointed that their candidate (A woman! A gay man! ) won’t get the nomination. But other Democrats, including yours truly, were undecided as to whom they would cast their ballot before the South Carolina primary.
For me and others in my circle, there was no Obama in the race, no one perfect candidate, no one who didn’t have some baggage. In other words, someone who stood out as the best moderate candidate.
My motivation for whom I would vote for boiled down to one thing: Someone whom I felt could beat Trump. I don’t think I was alone.
The South Carolina primary told me I finally had my man: Joe Biden. He’s an experienced leader, a kind, decent man and is smart enough to surround himself and listen to those who know more than he does.
But today, there’s another reason to get behind Biden and unite against Trump: Trump’s response to the coronavirus situation. If ever there was a clear cut demonstration of Trump’s ineptitude, this is it.
The inappropriate remarks, including the boasting, the blaming of Obama and the bashing of the governor of Washington during a time of unprecedented crisis. The refusal to take responsibility for any of what’s gone wrong.
But Trump’s biggest failure was and is to instill a sense of trust and confidence in his fellow Americans. We don’t expect miracles, but we want a leader who’s credible.
Recently, as I said, he’s been taking a more serious tone with the pandemic, but the bragging, the superlatives about himself and his people flowed during his news conference yesterday. His baseless optimism about how it will all turn out didn’t help either.
By now, if you weren’t convinced the man is unsuitable for the job, you never will be.
It won’t be easy for Biden if he gets the nomination. Bernie, although not my particular cup of java, is genuine and smart and his loyal supporters may not come out to vote for Biden. I sure hope my fears are just that–fears and nothing more.
And if Biden does get the nomination, Trump is sure to do his best (worst?) to destroy Biden. Trump will use every tool in his huckster marketing tool box –name-calling, dirty tricks, distortions and downright lies if repeated often enough will, unfortunately, be bought by many Americans.
On top of it, Trump will take advantage of every vulnerability Biden has– whether it’s his son Hunter and the Ukraine or something else entirely.
I hope, I pray that if Joe Biden is the nominee–and it sure looks like he will be, he is strong enough to hold his own. The stakes are simply too high.
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Judy Marcus is a freelance writer whose work appears in a variety of publications. She’s also a food lover. For news, recipes and commentary about food, check out her blog, Sugar Buzz Chicago. For news and opinions on almost anything else, visit Opinionated Woman.
Damian is a five-week-old, wiggly but sweet and fun male golden hamster baby looking for a loving guardian.
Damian is learning to appreciate attention from his people, lots of different foods and treats including tofu, unsalted whole peanuts, broccoli, spinning on her wheel and exploring her surroundings.
Golden hamsters live alone in their habitats so it’s important to give daily attention and love.
Since this is a baby, he will need patient daily handling and socialization to tame, so he will be gentle and not afraid of humans.
His adoption fee of $15 benefits the Friends of Petraits Rescue. If you need an entire hamster habitat, 20-gallon long aquarium with lid, bedding, food, exercise wheel, hidey castle and water bottle – everything you need including the hamster – the whole package is available for $75.
501 W. North St. in Hinsdale: $2,099,000 | Listed on Jan. 24, 2020
This 7,370-square-foot Hinsdale mansion has seven bedrooms and 6.5 bathrooms. The kitchen includes a retractable counter for seating at the island, a walk-in closet and a butler’s pantry. The family room includes 12-foot ceilings with wood detailing. Custom millwork, heated flooring, hand-molded hardware and imported lighting can be found throughout the house. The home also has a media room with a golf simulator and a workout room.
To the tune of Frere Jacques, with apologies to Allan Sherman
Joe Biden:
Bernie Sanders, Bernie Sanders
How are you? How are you?
Your numbers are all fading
Your chances are degrading
What to do? What to do?
Bernie Sanders:
Joseph Biden, Joseph Biden What’s with you? What’s with you? You romped in Illinois there. The Jew lost to the goy there. Nothing new. Nothing new.
Joe Biden:
Bernie Sanders, Bernie Sanders
Here’s a clue, here’s a clue.
It’s time for you to drop out
Your chances are on lockout
Your fans too few, your fans too few
Bernie Sanders:
Joseph Biden, Joseph Biden I’ll pursue, I’ll pursue My fight for nomination For the country’s highest station Until I’m blue, until I’m blue.
Joe Biden:
Bernie Sanders, Bernie Sanders
Tell me true, tell me true.
What do I have to do here?
For you to make support clear.
And join my queue, join my queue.
Bernie Sanders:
Joseph Biden, Joseph Biden Here me through, here me through To win all of my voters Be a socialist promoter That’s what to do, what to do.
Joe Biden:
Bernie Sanders, Bernie Sanders
I won’t be cruel, won’t be cruel.
No college day’s tuition
For those who get admission
To a school, to a school.
Bernie Sanders:
Joseph Biden, Joseph Biden That’s no miscue, no miscue. Now get them all some healthcare And end this virus nightmare That’s my view, that’s my view.
Joe Biden:
Bernie Sanders, Bernie Sanders
I’ll say anew, say anew.
The thing we’ve got to do, Bern
Is limit Trump to one term.
Tell him adieu, tell him adieu
Bernie Sanders:
Joseph Biden, Joseph Biden I’m with you, I’m with you With Amy or Kamala You’ve got to beat that fella He’s no Nehru, no Nehru
Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders together:
Joseph Biden, Bernie Sanders
Here’s to you. Here’s to you.
If we can work together
We’ll beat this stormy weather
And Trump too, and Trump too.
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Hi! I am Les, a practicing pathologist living in the North Suburbs and commuting every day to the Western ones. I have lived my entire life in the Chicago area, and have a pretty good feel for the place, its attractions, culture, restaurants and teams. My wife and I are empty-nesters with two adult children and a grandchild. We recently decided to downsize, but just a bit! I will be telling the story of the construction of our new home, but also writing about whatever gets me going on a particular day. Be sure to check out the “About” page to learn more about where we plan to go with this blog!
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