DETROIT, MI – DECEMBER 29: Kenny Golladay #19 of the Detroit Lions makes a catch in the first quarter of the game in front of Kevin King #20 of the Green Bay Packers at Ford Field on December 29, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
The Chicago Bears have a miserable offense. They haven’t had a quarterback worth having in a century, their offensive line has been lousy, and their weapons leave a lot to be desired. They haven’t been able to move the ball with consistency at all and that has forced them to completely waste an all-world defense. They can only hope that the defense continues to be good at keeping the opposition from scoring when they finally have an offense worth speaking of.
The Chicago Bears need to get some more wide receiver help this offseason.
One of the biggest keys is of course the skill positions. The offensive line started to emerge in 2020 so that is good to see as long as they add a tackle in the draft or free agency. We know about the quarterback rumors so we just have to hope they get someone good. If they do, he is going to need someone to throw it to. In fact, he is going to need multiple people to throw it to.
Allen Robinson was handed a franchise tag last week. He is clearly not happy about it as he wants a long lucrative deal. It makes sense because he is an elite player that wants to be compensated for his talents and production. Some people might view that as greedy but those people don’t understand business. We all want to be compensated fairly. Hopefully, the Bears and Robinson are able to get something done that keeps him there and happy.
He can’t, however, do it by himself. The Bears would be smart to look at some free-agent wide receivers that are out there. The league has a lot of talent at the position and this free-agent class is full of it. Day one of free agency was on Monday but some really good ones are still out there. These are three that the Bears should strongly consider:
Southern Illinois quarterback Stone Labanowitz delivers a pass Saturday in SIU’s 17-16 victory against Northern Iowa in Carbondale. (Photo by SIUSalukis.com)
A second win this season against a top-five team in the nation vaulted Southern Illinois to that lofty neighborhood Monday.
The Salukis (4-1 overall, 3-1 Missouri Valley Football Conference) took over the No. 5 spot in the STATS Perform FCS Top 25 poll two days after beating then-No. 4 Northern Iowa, 17-16, in Carbondale.
Enjoying its highest ranking since 2010, the Salukis have yet another test when No. 6 South Dakota State comes to town Saturday, March 20.
But big games have become a welcome addition to the SIU schedule this spring.
“We talk about that,” SIU head coach Nick Hill said Monday in his weekly press conference. “I’ve said that to them each week. You win this game and next week gets to be another big game. (Do) you want to be a .500 team playing another .500 team, or do you want to play top-five opponents and it’s a big game? That’s what we want to do.
“That’s what this league presents,” he said. “When we recruit players, we talk about these games you’re going to play in. … As a competitor, those are the ones you want to play in.”
Unbeatens James Madison (3-0), North Dakota (4-0) and Weber State (2-0) took the top three spots, followed by North Dakota State (4-1) at No. 4. Five MVFC teams are in this week’s top 10.
The Salukis beat the Bison, 38-14, on Feb. 27 to halt NDSU’s 39-game winning streak.
SIU’s only loss this season is to North Dakota in the season opener.
Illinois State, which was No. 22 last week, fell out of the rankings after losing to North Dakota State and falling to 0-3.
The Redbirds received 31 votes in the poll, well below No. 25 Murray State’s 90 points.
Blog co-authors Barry Bottino and Dan Verdun bring years of experience covering collegiate athletics. Barry has covered college athletes for more than two decades in his “On Campus” column, which is published weekly by Shaw Media. Dan has written four books about the state’s football programs–“NIU Huskies Football” (released in 2013), “EIU Panthers Football (2014), “ISU Redbirds” (2016) and “SIU Salukis Football” (2017).
“Public Affairs TV show Host” Jeff Berkowitz is with downstate GOP GOV Candidate Paul Schimpt in Part 2 of their interview tonight.
The show airs in Chicago at 8:30 pm and midnight on Cable Ch 21 (CAN TV).
You can also watch here the show featuring GOP GOV candidate and Lt. Gol. (Ret.) Schimpf, a twenty year U. S. Marine Corps Vet, discuss his experience as an advisor to Iraqi prosecutors when they tried in 2005 Saddam Hussein for war crimes and other crimes against his people. Schimpt also discusses how his military background prepared him for being Governor of Illinois.
Schimpf discusses how he would prosecute politically, not legally, Gov. Pritzker during a campaign for Governor for his failures in protecting the most vulnerable to Covid– The elderly, those with pre-existing conditions, those in Nursing and long-term care and retirement homes and Vets at long term care facilities, as at LaSalle.
Schimpf also indicts the Governor for needless lock-downs that Schimpf rejected as early as April, 2020, as a matter of public record, and that hurt the health and economic well-being of the people of IL tremendously, said Schimpf.
Schimpf, who is Pro-Life, talks of trying to change the culture in IL to make abortions unthinkable, even if they remain legal.
Candidate Schimpf, who became the first announced candidate for Governor a month ago, is also critical of the Governor for extremely long delays for citizens being able to obtain FOID cards, necessary for Illinois Citizens to possess guns lawfully.
Has sleeping been challenging lately? March is National Sleep Awareness Month! From doom scrolling on our phones at night to tossing and turning over recent troubling events, I have some product recommendations and tips so we can all sleep more soundly this year because let’s face it: we NEED sleep to function properly. All these amazing products were also featured on ABC 7 Chicago.
Air purifiers capture airborne allergens (dust, dust mites, mold spores) & bacteria that can cause congestion and keep you awake at night. SoClean captures 99.9999% airborne viruses & bacteria and provides a continual flow of fresh, clean room quality. Poor air quality can affect the upper airways causing sleep apnea. SoClean also has various fan speed settings also creates the perfect white noise.
This blanket is designed to help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. It’s made from eco-friendly and sustainable luxuriously soft bamboo viscose fabric—which repels odors & toxins. The blanket is weighted with Cariloha’s innovative glass beads which provide deep pressure touch, that increases serotonin and endorphins for a more calm and relaxed sleep.
Rest Assured is a caffeine-free, tasty tea infusion that supports the restorative sleep you thrive on. With this sleep supplement, you can discover the profound effects restorative sleep has on the mind and body without big pharma’s formulas. From the founders of mighty leaf tea, Good Pharma believes your highest potential comes from the ongoing practice of nourishing the mind, body, senses, and soul. Good Pharma is giving viewers 15% off until March 20 for viewers using the code Loyal15.
Frunutta makes melatonin that can help you to fall asleep. It’s sublingual and easily dissolves right under the tongue. Proper vitamin intake is also essential to a good night’s rest. Frunutta has an entire line of “clean” vitamins with no fillers or additives. It’s just the vitamins.
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Nekia Nichelle
Nekia Nichelle is a digital and broadcast journalist covering entertainment, lifestyle, beauty, and pinch of fashion.
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Pat and Nick talk Vaughn, Rodon, Collins, Burger, Kopech and more with James Fox from FutureSox & Southside Sox. They also talk Spring Trainings of the past, Gio and Lynn, fans on opening day, and BAN THE SHIFT!
According to the Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs, Chicago has started kicking the tires on 32-year old Trent Williams to anchor the left side of the line.
A year after the death of pioneering Afrobeat drummer Tony Allen, a posthumous album highlights his work with younger generations.
As the anniversaries of pandemic lockdowns arrive, many of us have been reflecting on the people we’ve lost in the past year, whether from COVID or any other cause.…Read More
Englewood rapper Dre Izaya has recently emerged as part of a loose collective of pop, R&B, soul, and hip-hop artists associated with Loop Theory, a local indie artist-development and management company founded by producer Disrupt and rapper Navarro. (The agency also releases music by the artists on its roster.)…Read More
Protesters rallied outside City Hall last month to oppose the relocation of the General Iron metal shredding operation to the Southeast Side. | Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times, Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times
The city said its “review process has identified concerns and questions related to the relationship between” multiple businesses operated by the metal shredder’s new owner along the Calumet River.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s Administration is seeking more information about the cumulative air pollution around a proposed scrap-metal shredding operation on the Southeast Side, an inquiry that delays the city’s permitting for the controversial business.
The city has been reviewing an operating permit application from Reserve Management Group, which acquired Lincoln Park-based General Iron in 2019. The company has been building a new facility at East 116th Street along the Calumet River to relocate General Iron, as the rebranded Southside Recycling, next to RMG’s existing businesses.
In a letter Monday, a city environmental official told RMG that it requires more information “to properly assess the relationship between and the potential cumulative impact of all Reserve Management Group operations” in the area. Air pollution throughout the Southeast Side is among the worst in the city.
The “review process has identified concerns and questions related to the relationship between Southside Recycling and other adjacent, co-owned and functionally integrated business entities,” city Environmental Engineer Renante Marante wrote. “The interaction of these existing operations together with the new capabilities proposed by Southside Recycling warrant further consideration in order to adequately assess the cumulative impact of the proposed recycling operations.”
“Southside Recycling is building a modern new facility that will operate alongside four other RMG companies,” the company said in a statement also citing its own air emissions modeling in its defense.
The permit has been at the center of a highly emotional protest from residents, including a month-long hunger strike. Lightfoot also is feeling heat from federal officials who have launched a civil rights investigation into the city’s zoning and land-use practices. On Friday, a federal official reiterated to the city that Lightfoot should not issue the permit until the civil rights investigation is complete.
Under a September 2019 agreement with the Lightfoot Administration, General Iron agreed to move from mostly white, wealthy Lincoln Park to Latino and Black-majority Southeast Side. That agreement is at the center of a fair housing civil rights complaint to the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The city has asked to meet with RMG officials this week to discuss what information is needed for review of the operating permit. In the letter, Marante said the city’s review has included input from air-modeling experts and public comments.
The other businesses in the area cited by the city as potentially contributing to air pollution include Reserve Marine Terminals, South Shore Recycling, Napuck Salvage of Waupaca and Regency Technologies.
The city has been reviewing the permit application and was expected to soon either issue a draft version or deny the application. Some groups have been stepping up pressure on the mayor.
The “operations would endanger the health and safety of Southeast Side residents, including increasing the disparate burdens this community already bears,” a coalition of community members and hunger strikers said in a statement. “We are relieved that the City is not charging forward to issue a draft permit.”
In recent weeks, doctors and other health professionals have urged Lightfoot to reject the permit application, saying approving it would be contradicting her own statements about environmental racism and future planning. Last summer, the city put out an air quality report and map showing areas of the city overburdened with pollution, including the Southeast Side.
Meanwhile, a HUD official repeated last week that the agency is asking the city to not issue RMG a permit until it has completed its investigation. The letter from Kimberly Nevels, a HUD official in Chicago, took issue with a city lawyer’s comments to a federal judge in a separate but related civil rights court hearing last week that “suggested that there was no pending request for the City to delay the permit’s issuance.”
“Nothing,” Nevels said, “has led to any change in HUD’s ongoing request that the City refrain from issuing any further permits in this matter.”
Brett Chase’s reporting on the environment and public health is made possible by a grant from The Chicago Community Trust.
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