Full Court Press

In Which I Urge You Not To Worry About Derrick Rose

2009-11-19T07:14:09Z

Hey "aughts", I'mma let you finish, but 2009 has to be one of the craziest years of all-time! Think of all the wacky stuff that has happened in the last 11 months. Vampires became our country's mythological creature of choice by a shockingly wide margin. Twitter took over the world seemingly overnight. Tom Delonge and Mark Hoppus kissed and made up. Full Court Press lost not one but two editors. The Taco Bell dog died. And, oh yeah, let's not forget about whatever the hell happened during Michael Jackson's funeral.

This year has been wild. Insane, I tell you. The madness has even hit Chicago sports.

Never mind losing out on the Olympics, I'm more concerned about the damn-near-epic fall from grace that inflicted nearly all of our city's sports superstars. Alfonso Soriano put in, by far, the worst year of his career. Carlos Quentin went from a potential MVP candidate to a guy you expect to injure himself when he gets out of bed in the morning. Brian Urlacher missed an entire season with a wrist injury. Patrick Kane - tiny, innocent Patrick Kane - inexcusably beat up a Buffalo cab driver over 20 cents. Jay Cutler actually has some fans wishing for the return of Kyle Orton.

This brings us to the recent struggles of Derrick Rose.

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John Jackson has an article in today's paper titled "Passive Rose has to get aggressive". It's a fine piece, notable mostly because Rose says he's not going to cut his hair until he gets out of this funk, and I happen to think Derrick Rose would look awesome with an afro.

But I digress.

Aggressiveness isn't Rose's problem right now. His problem is his bum ankle. No offense to our hard-working copy editors at the Sun-Times, but this article should really be titled "Injured Rose needs to get healthy".

If you've seen the Bulls at all this year, you can tell Rose isn't himself. His explosiveness looks like it's been reduced by 50 percent. He's settling for more jumpers because his ankle prevents him from taking guys off the dribble. It's not like Rose was a world class defender when healthy, but he looks worse on that side of the ball as well. Let's also not forget that he didn't play in the preseason or log as much practice time as everyone else. Besides for being injured, Rose may also be a little rusty.

Still, I urge you not to lose any sleep over Rose's slow start. He's still the savior. 10 sub-par games on a bum ankle doesn't change anything. At some point, Rose's ankle will get right, and his game will follow.

Go ahead and worry about Soriano, worry about that adorable taco-loving chihuahua, worry about all the other crazy stuff that could happen in the next month and a half. But don't worry about Derrick Rose. He'll be just fine.

Ricky O'Donnell is the editor of the Chicago sports blog Tremendous Upside Potential. Contact him at richardopodonnell@gmail.com.

Bulls Knock Off Kings, Start "Circus Trip" 1-0

2009-11-18T07:30:44Z

If I see one "Yeah, but they played the Kings! Without Kevin Martin!" comment, I swear to Walter Payton that I won't approve it. I don't care if it comes against the Lakers or if it comes against a team as woeful as Sacramento: for the Bulls, any win on the infamous Circus Trip is a reason to celebrate.

So, before we get any further, let's all take a second to commemorate the Bulls' unthinkable 1-0 start on the Road Trip From Hell by doing the Brad Miller taunt.

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(And stretchhhhhhhhhhhhh. Feels good, doesn't it?)

If you just stood up at work to do that, you're my new hero.

I can't overstate how awful this Circus Trip is. The post-MJ Bulls are historically slow starters in the first place, but if any positive momentum were ever to exist, the Circus Trip surely killed it immediately.

Just how rough is this thing? BytheHorns gives us the raw data.

From 1999-00 through 2008-09, the Bulls are 9-56 on this trip, including a five-year stretch (1999-00 through 2003-04) in which they went 0-32.

Zero for thirty-two. Yowsers . And let me tell you, just in case you ditched the Bulls during the Eddie Robinson Era, it really was as bad as it sounds.

Do you remember that first win? I know I do. It was honestly one of my five happiest moments as a Bulls fan since the dynasty ended.

The year was 2004 (Ben Gordon and Luol Deng's rookie seasons) and the Bulls started out 0-9. It all seemed so typical. Then something crazy happened one night in Utah: Gordon caught fire (four treys), Eddy Curry dropped 21 (and chipped in two whole rebounds!), and the Bulls finally conquered their biggest nightmare. They had earned a victory on the Circus Trip. The drought was over.

The win kick-started the Bulls' season, and they ended up winning 47 games, 24 more than the previous season. It was, without question, one of the biggest early regular season wins I can ever remember.

This is why I'm not letting anyone rain on my parade: Circus Trip victories are just too precious a commodity to qualify. I really feel like these wins should count for triple.

The Bulls got it done last night behind a strong effort from John Salmons (23 points), and pair of performances from Deng and Joakim Noah that are seemingly becoming very par-for-the-course this season. Deng finished with 16 and 10 and did it on 8-of-14 shooting. Noah grabbed seven offensive boards (!), and finished with 15 points and 14 rebounds.

If you still aren't sold on Noah yet, open your eyes. Yes, he still shoots a basketball as if he were shooting a pumpkin. No matter. The man is beast. He's leading the NBA rebounding. He's providing constant energy. He's making terrible newspaper columnists eat their words (with salsa!). I can't say a bad thing about Noah. He takes nothing off the table - no laziness, no bad shots, ect. - and brings so much. I can't say enough about him this season. If he keeps it up, the Bulls could be the employers of an All-Star center come February.

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As if last night's win didn't make you happy enough, I present you with this: a fake infomercial of Bulls players singing 80's hits. Please give whoever thought of this a huge, huge raise.

Grading the performances

Luol Deng: A+
Aaron Gray: A
Kirk Hinrich: B+
Joakim Noah: B+
Derrick Rose: C-
Tyrus Thomas: D

Just fantastic all-around. I love everything right now.

Ricky O'Donnell is the editor of the Chicago sports blog Tremendous Upside Potential. Contact him at richardopodonnell@gmail.com.

Potentially Huge 'Hawks News: Kane, Toews, Keith nearing deals?

2009-11-17T07:13:48Z

We make a far bigger deal of the Bulls' 2010 free agent Armageddon around these parts, but let's not forget that the stakes for our Blackhawks could be even higher once this season ends. While the Bulls need to add a player to turn into a contender, the 'Hawks are already there. All the good team has to do is keep the players it already has. This, of course, is much easier said than done.

The 'Hawks have reached their current status among the league's elite teams by shelling out lots and lots of cash. They've given mammoth contracts to free agents (Huet, Campbell, Hossa) and rewarded their own players (Seabrook, Byfuglien). This is all fine and dandy, or at least it was while cornerstones Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews worked off rookie contracts.

]]> Kane and Toews will be restricted free agents after this season, and each are up for a much deserved raise. But money is tight. Throw in that Duncan Keith - the 26-year old widely considered to be the team's best defenseman - will also be a free agent (and an unrestricted one at that), and you can see why all of this is very tricky.

So just how tight is the Blackhawks' money? CapGeek (via PuckDaddy) estimates that the 'Hawks should have a little over $13 million in cap space to work with. Most expect Kane and Toews to sign similar deals, likely for around $6-8 million annually. And Keith? Who knows. A salary around $5 million a year seems reasonable, though.

Do the math. The numbers don't add up. It would appear keeping all three after this year is impossible.

That's why today's news is so surprising. Various reports are saying that the Blackhawks are close to reaching deals with all three players.

If true, this is obviously a very good thing. But what does it mean?

For one, it means that the 'Hawks you see on the ice right now will be slightly different from the 'Hawks you will see once the playoffs roll around. They may even be dramatically different. If Kane, Toews, and Keith are all resigned, then the 'Hawks have a lot of cap space to clear. That means players - good players - have to be moved for guys with expiring contracts.

Check out the Blackhawks' salary page over at SportsCity to get a better understanding of the team's payroll.

The 'Hawks would probably love to be able to shed Brian Campbell, but it's unlikely that another team would be willing to touch a contract so long and so rich. Hossa and Huet obviously aren't going anywhere, either. So who does that leave? The list of players that could be on the move includes Patrick Sharp, Kris Versteeg, Cam Barker, Brent Sopel, and Dustin Byfuglien.

Let's say that Kane and Toews each sign for $7 million annually and that Keith signs for $5 million (keep in mind that all of this is very speculative). That's $19 million. Remember, the 'Hawks need to get to $13 million. That means that two of the guys listed above have to be jettisoned.

It's a shame that the 'Hawks need to break up their present to preserve their future, but it has to be done. With Kane, Toews, and Keith in the fold, the 'Hawks should be among the Western Conference elite for much of the next decade. Hopefully this year's squad won't suffer too much for it.

Ricky O'Donnell is the editor of the Chicago sports blog Tremendous Upside Potential. Contact him at richardopodonnell@gmail.com.

"Is Jay Cutler Actually Bad?" and Other Pertinent Bears Questions

2009-11-16T06:05:32Z

I really enjoyed my Bears-less Sunday. How about you? There was no anxiety, no swearing, no facepalming. The text message inbox on my cell phone didn't explode. The Earth continued to rotate.

I would honestly love to ignore the Bears here right now. I said my peace on Thursday, and I don't have much else to add. The 2009 Bears are eternally atrocious, and they aren't worth the stress that comes with trying to write a well thought out rip job.

I kind of just want to throw my hands in the air and give up. Perhaps I'll even waive them like I just don't care. The Bears have sucked the sports life out of me, and I don't think I'm alone. They have made this shockingly warm Chicago autumn at least 60 percent less enjoyable. The Bears, as always, have pretty much ruined everything.

Alas, I know that we can't just ignore the Bears and give 100 percent of our blog time to talking about how cool Brad Miller is. We must soldier on and continue to complain about them, even if apathy would feel better at this point. The Bears are just too damn important in this city. If the players and coaches cared half as much as the rest of us do...

Alright, time to suck it up. Let's talk Bears, people. I have some questions to ask, after the jump.

]]> Is Jay Cutler actually bad?

No matter what happens, I will always defend the Cutler trade. I would still make it today, and I would give up more if need be. The Bears never have a good quarterback. They may as well have rolled the dice to try to get one.

That being said, I'm going to have to answer my own question with a solid "I don't know". Things have gotten bad. How bad? Just take a look at this picture. The fact that it exists tells you all you need to know.

Another telling sign: there have been some epic Cutler take-downs lately on the Web. He's turning into a punchline. We could be just one great nickname away from Grossman-level jokes here. Yes, this is scary.

For the record, I still believe in Jay Cutler. The dude so clearly oozes with talent, and no amount of frowns is going to change that. It's not like he's getting any help, either.

I dropped my "football is 50 percent talent, 50 percent scheme" bomb on Thursday, and I fear that may be all we have to hide behind right now.

Would a new offensive coordinator change everything? Maybe, but maybe not. Cutler has now thrown seven red zone interceptions in his last 11 games. Tom Brady has thrown six of those bad boys his entire career.

Yeah.

This isn't turning out the way we thought it would, is it?

Is there any chance the Bears will eat $11 million and fire Lovie?

Jim Zorn is a terrible football coach. Lovie Smith is not. We've been over this before, but, yeah, the Bears' problems run deeper than the head coach. That doesn't mean he should keep his job, though.

I still truly doubt that Smith will be axed after this season. It's all about the money, of course. But, I wonder, if the Bears go 6-10, does the front office have any choice? Think of all the pressure the media and the fans will be putting on them to make a change. I say there's a 20 percent chance it happens. Hey, that's better than nothing.

While we're here, if the Bears do fire Lovie, Jerry Angelo has to go, too. Those two are forever tied together.

I actually don't hate Angelo. I'd give his overall pile of work in Chicago a B/B+. But it would be pointless to fire the coach and let Angelo hire a new one when the talent is just as questionable as the coaching. He's just whiffed on too many draft choices lately. If Lovie goes, Jerry should go with him.

Why should we continue to watch this team?

Over at my home court on Friday, my esteemed colleague BobbyStompy wrote this (emphasis mine):

The Bears have yet to play the Vikings. This is a team so equipped to demolish the Bears it's almost laughable. If Jay Cutler doesn't throw at least three interceptions when they play at Minnesota, it's only because he probably got sacked before he could chuck the ball. Maybe we can hurt Favre though. This should be Bears fans' greatest aspiration for the rest of the 2009 season. I am 0% kidding.

I never, never root for injuries in sports, but what the hell: hurt Favre. It would honestly salvage part of the season in my mind. Yes, I am pathetic. Yes, I know it. I don't care. I'm not saying the Bears have to kill him, but I wouldn't judge the player who tried.

Ricky O'Donnell is the editor of the Chicago sports blog Tremendous Upside Potential. Contact him at richardopodonnell@gmail.com.

The Bears Get to Lose Three Days Earlier Than Normal This Week

2009-11-12T17:28:15Z

Virtually every media outlet is playing up the "Lovie Smith is fighting for his job!" angle before tonight's Bears-49ers game. It's an obvious storyline, and - with bloggers and sports talk radio callers kicking the "Fire Lovie" campaign into overdrive this week - it's obviously relevant. The only problem is that the thesis of these stories really isn't all that true.

I touched on it on Monday, but it's worth repeating: Lovie Smith isn't going anywhere, at least not after this season. That's not to say that he doesn't deserve to be fired (something I don't think is necessary, but I certainly wouldn't be against it). The problem, of course, is that Smith still has two years and $11 million left on his contract after this season ends. Do you really think the Bears are going to eat that money, and then shell out big bucks for another high profile coach? The Bears aren't owned by Paul Allen or Mark Cuban. They're owned by the McCaskey family. Let's just say that the Bears don't exactly have a long history swallowing millions when they really don't have to.

]]> Fans can harp on Lovie and his Cover-2 all they want, but the Bears' problems run deeper than the coach. That's not to say coaching doesn't matter: it does, particularly in football. But talent matters too, and the Bears simply don't have enough.

Unlike virtually every other sport, success in football seems to be decided by 50 percent talent, 50 percent scheme. It's true that the Bears' scheme has been downright awful this year. The defense can't stop anyone, and I can't shake the feeling that the offense is only achieving 60 percent of its potential due to some classic Bears conservatism by Ron Turner. But I really think you can only put all the blame on Smith if you think he has been given the pieces to succeed. Does anyone really believe that?

We see Alex Brown and Charles Tillman and Lance Briggs on the field, and we wonder how the same defense that fueled a Super Bowl run three years ago can be so bad right now. The fact of the matter is that this simply isn't the same defense. Mike Brown isn't here, Brian Urlacher isn't here, and Nathan Vasher and Tommie Harris may as well be gone. Those are four impact players that have disappeared (or all but disappeared). In their place, the Bears are stuck with Nick Roach and Al Afalava and Zack Bowman.

These Bears simply don't have enough good players. Three-fourths of the secondary wouldn't start anywhere else. Same goes for two-thirds of the linebackers. And the line - without a healthy and dominant Tommie Harris - is steady but nowhere near spectacular.

What I'm trying to say is: the Bears kind of suck. This team needs a talent infusion in the worst way, and that's going to be hard to do without a draft pick until the third round. We can hope they make a splash in free agency (a Brian Dawkins-type of pickup sure would be a nice bandage), but this organization doesn't have a long history of throwing money at free agents.

So the Bears are pretty much a train wreck. I know it and I accept it. I also think there's a good chance they can beat San Francisco tonight (tongue-in-cheek headline aside).

It seems insane to think that the Bears can beat any team better than Cleveland right now, and the 49ers are certainly better than the Browns. That doesn't mean they're good, though.

San Fran got Vince Young'd last week and have now lost four straight. They were a nice early season surprise, but they've fallen back down to reality as of late. Like the Bears, they don't have a ton of talent. Unlike the Bears, their quarterback sort of blows.

As a good rule of thumb, whenever two teams appear evenly matched, take the team with the significantly better quarterback. That would be Jay Cutler this time around, and he should be enough to carry the Bears back over the .500 mark tonight.

It'll be hard to get excited if the Bears win tonight. You won't be reading any "The Bears are back, baby!" posts from me tomorrow morning. And if they lose, I really don't think they're much more of an embarrassment than they already are. This team is going nowhere, and nothing that happens tonight is going to change that.

Because of this, I urge you to watch tonight's game as stress-free as possible. Don't work yourself up about how Lovie needs to go, about how the Bears can make a statement with a big victory, about how far this defense has fallen. Tonight's game - in the grand scheme of things - probably doesn't matter. Watch it, cheer for the Bears, but don't throw the remote through the TV after Vernon Davis catches his first 30-yard touchdown pass. I'm sure you spent a lot of money on that TV. Don't break it. These Bears aren't worth it.

Note: I'm going out of town tonight, so I won't be able to get a recap up the in morning. Just use this as the post-game thread, as well. Sorry. To make you feel better, here's an awesome picture of Lovie from high school.

Ricky O'Donnell is the editor of the Chicago sports blog Tremendous Upside Potential. Contact him at richardopodonnell@gmail.com.

Mark Buehrle Wins a Gold Glove

2009-11-10T21:12:27Z

Baseball still screws up its awards far too often (more on that in a bit) but we should give them credit when they get one right, and today they got one right. After years of stellar defense, Mark Buehrle was finally honored with a Gold Glove.

It leaves me wondering how Buehrle was able to breakthrough after all these years. It's not like his defense in 2009 was noticeably better than it has been the last few seasons. Do you have to throw a perfect game to win a Gold Glove? Was it only because Mike Mussina is now out of the picture? Are the voters - in this case, managers and coaches - actually getting smarter!?

The answer key to those questions: 1) "probably", 2) "probably", and 3) "of course not".

]]> Excuse me for acting so surprised, but it's just that baseball always screws these things up and Buehrle is actually quite deserving. Here's what the Fielding Bible - who's voting panel includes John Dewan and the legendary Bill James - said after they named Buehrle the best fielding pitcher a couple weeks ago.

(Buehrle's) plus/minus figure of +9 was tops among pitchers in 2009, but his ability to hold runners is legendary. In the last four years he's allowed a total of 15 stolen bases. His catchers have managed to catch five potential thieves in that time period. But even more importantly, when Mark throws over to first, the results are devastating for baserunners. Sixteen times in those same four years, he's thrown over to first and the runner broke for second and was thrown out. That's a Pitcher Caught Stealing (PCS) in our scorebook. Not only that, 14 more times Buehrle nabbed a baserunner at the base as he tried to get back. That's a Pitcher Pickoff (PPO), for those of you scoring at home. In total, 15 stolen bases against him (an average of just under four per year) and 35 guys thrown out (an average of almost nine per year). Not too shabby.

Yes, you have read all this correctly: the idiot baseball coaches are agreeing with smart people. My mind = blown.

Alas, it's not all good. Gold Gloves are still sometimes given to those who don't deserve them, and it happened again today. After a two year hiatus, the world is finally back on its axis: Derek Jeter won the A.L. Gold Glove at shortstop.

In case you're wondering, Derek Jeter did not win the Gold Glove because he excels at playing shortstop. He's actually rather awful defensively. No, Jeter won the Gold Glove because he plays for the Yankees, because he's "The Captain", because he dates Minka Kelly.

But, mostly, Derek Jeter won the 2009 A.L. Gold Glove because he's a really good hitter.

I could make fun of this, but instead I'll just direct you to the mecca of mocking Jeter's defense, Fire Joe Morgan. Gone but never forgotten, my friends.

But, really, who cares about Jeter? Mark Buehrle just won a Gold Glove! w00t. You know, Buehrle has always been my favorite. This calls for a celebration. Bring your own beer.

Ricky O'Donnell is the editor of the Chicago sports blog Tremendous Upside Potential. Contact him at richardopodonnell@gmail.com.

'Hawks 4, Kings 1: Jonathan Toews is In the House

2009-11-10T18:03:33Z

It's understandable if you're a bit underwhelmed by the way the 'Hawks have started the season. After going to the Western Conference Finals last year, most expected the 'Hawks to pick up where they left off, and continue to set the league on fire. Through the first 16 games, that hasn't exactly happened: though they're leading the Central Division, four Western Conference teams have more points, and four more teams have just as many (20).

There are reasons for this, of course. After staying remarkably healthy last season, the injury bug has bit the 'Hawks hard so far. We knew Marian Hossa would be gone until the winter, but Jonathan Toews, Dave Bolland, Adam Burish, and Ben Eager have also missed time. Some will continue to miss time.

Still, the 'Hawks are beginning to get healthy, and it showed last night in a 4-1 victory over the Kings. Jeremy Roenick, Sega Genesis, NHL '94, and "Swingers" not included.

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Toews made his triumphant return last night and revitalized a lackluster powerplay that ranks in the middle of the league in efficiency. The 'Hawks scored two powerplay goals in the third period (one by Troy Brouwer, one by Toews) and quickly broke open a game that was tied after two periods.

Sure is nice to have your best players back, right?

The 'Hawks' defense was solid throughout the night, but goalie Cristobal Huet also looked good, stopping 17 of 18 shots. It's impressive to see the way Huet has rebounded after a slow start that left fans calling for his head. Of course, the jury will still be out on Huet until the playoffs, but hopefully the regular season will serve to calm some of our fears.

Something else to keep an eye on: who's going to get traded, and when is it going to happen? Since the 'Hawks' cap situation is totally messed up, they're going to have to shed some salary soon if they hope to resign Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith, and Toews after this season. Could Kris Versteeg be on his way out of town? What about Patrick Sharp? It's unfortunate, but the 'Hawks are going to have to do something soon. Their future is too valuable.

Ricky O'Donnell is the editor of the Chicago sports blog Tremendous Upside Potential. Contact him at richardopodonnell@gmail.com.

Arizona 41, Chicago 21: Please Go Home Now, Bears

2009-11-09T18:20:15Z

Even all these hours after that train wreck of a game against the Cardinals mercifully ended, I'm still left trying to figure out how the Bears got to this point. Did they ruin their karma during the bye week? Was a second straight gut-wrenching loss in Atlanta too much to take? Did Cedric Benson single-handidly kill the team's will to live? I don't know, and I'm not sure anyone does. The Bears weren't always this bad, though.

There was a time - just a quarter ago, in the coach's mind - when they were 3-1 and the league was their oyster. Not anymore. The second quarter of this season has been a disaster: a stomach punch loss against the Falcons, a pair of blowout defeats against teams that aren't even that good, and one of the most unsatisfying three touchdown victories you'll ever see. The Bears are quite awful right now, and it's hard to imagine them beating anyone outside of Detroit and St. Louis the rest of this season.

]]> Yesterday's loss to the Cardinals was systematic destruction. Arizona won the coin toss and marched down the field for a touchdown. The Bears may as well have quit right there. Sure, the offense answered with a touchdown to Olsen - the second of two gorgeous throws Cutler made on the first drive - but the only way the Bears were going to win this one was if they turned it into a shootout, and the offense still isn't even close to that point yet. It's a shame, because unless this offense explodes, these Bears won't be beating any halfway competent team. This is what happens when you pride yourself on defense, and then your team plays defense like Ben Gordon.

The blame for the collapse of the vaunted highlight-heavy Tampa-2 can go all around. It's Angelo's fault for blowing so many draft picks after years of being able to find guys like Charles Tillman, Alex Brown, and Lance Briggs in the mid-rounds. It's the players fault for wanting to be paid like stars after the Super Bowl run, getting their wish, and then losing their edge. It's Lovie's fault for being too stubborn to deviate from a surely broken system. The Bears defense is bad for many reasons: there aren't enough good players, too many of the former stars look apathetic, the coach doesn't know how to get his message across anymore. As such, this team appears hopeless. Even just halfway through the season, 2009 already appears to be a single-file death march.

Unless there's internal improvement, it doesn't look like things are going to change any time soon. The Bears will probably steal a victory or two they don't deserve as the season plays out, but - even as they sit at 4-4 - we should be able to say with certainty that this team isn't going to the playoffs.

Then the season will be over. The Bears won't be able infuse young talent without a draft pick until the third round. Angelo can cut Tommie Harris, but the ripples of the cap hit from his massive contract will still be felt. It's a good bet that Lovie won't be going anywhere, either. Do you really think the Bears are going to eat $11 million? They won't, especially not when they know that their next coach needs to be one with a big name, and men with the the credentials of Mike Shanahan or Bill Cowher don't come cheap.

This is still the NFL, of course, so anything can happen. Even if the Bears only have one thing going for them, it's comforting to know that that one thing is a quarterback. It doesn't look like he's going to make much difference this year, though. Cutler may be here, but the play on the field is identical to the team that frustrated so many in 2008.

Ricky O'Donnell is the editor of the Chicago sports blog Tremendous Upside Potential. Contact him at richardopodonnell@gmail.com.

Hey, At Least They Won: Bulls Top Abominable Bucks

2009-11-04T17:45:43Z

It's hard to take much satisfaction in a too-close-for-comfort victory over a Michael Redd-less Bucks team, but you still have to win and on Tuesday night, the Bulls were able to do just that. As Vin Diesel once put it: "It doesn't matter if you win by a second or a mile, winning is winning."

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Note: winning may not actually be winning when it comes against Derek Anderson.

True that, Vin Diesel. True that.

I could complain about how the Bulls played like garbage against a team they should have blown out, but there are other places to go for that. Besides, I've recently decided that we should avoid being overly negative about the Bulls this year. We know that the Bears won't be making us anything but frustrated, and it's hard for casual hockey fans to care much about the Blackhawks until the playoffs start. If there's one team I'm willing to find silver linings in this winter, it's got to be the Bulls. Is this by default? Obviously, but I'm sticking with it nonetheless.

Now, are these Bulls great? Of course not. They have zero chance to win a title this season. There aren't any Cinderella's in the NBA, and that's part of the reason the league rules. But that doesn't mean the Bulls can't be cool, likable, and fun to watch. So let's run with an old theme here and try to stay positive on an early season victory over a terrible team.

I never stopped loving you, Luol Deng

And don't let the pesky Full Court Press archives tell you any differently!

On Monday, following a loss in Miami to D-Wade's Heat, I wrote:

Three games is a dangerously small sample size, but I'm damn close to saying "Luol Deng is back".

I still can't go 100 percent yet - it's you, not me, Milwaukee - but Deng may have had his best game in two years last night. He finished with 24 points and 20 rebounds, and also added the quote of the night. From KC Johnson's Twitter page:

Deng with line of night. Told the last Bull to post a 20-20 game was Marcus Fizer, he said, "Wow. Proud to join that group."

Fantastic.

Deng has now been very solid in three of the four games this year, and I'm willing to give him a pass on the Celtics game because the entire team was awful. This is exactly what the Bulls need from Luol Deng. Is he performing like a $71 million player? No, but (get your tomatoes ready) we can't hold him to that.

/ducks.

Listen: a) everyone in the NBA is overpaid, and b) Deng signed that extension before the recession. I'm not concerned that Deng won't ever play like a $71 million player. I just want him to play like a $50 million player. That's what he's doing right now, and I'm perfectly content with it. The Bulls are going to be pretty good if he keeps this up.

Brad Miller would have been a great Halloween costume

You know it's a good game when Miller gets to unleash his signature taunt.

Cue "Chop Suey".

I can watch him do this 500 times, and it will still be awesome 500 times.

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Your silver lining is this: the Bulls didn't have Tyrus (stop laughing) and Rose is still hobbled. They need all the victories they can get - for both playoff position and 2k10 free agent position - so I'll take them however they come. Even in games as ugly as this one.

Also: how do we feel about Brandon Jennings? Legitimately good or just flashy and fun? I'm kind of hoping for option No. 2, but I fear option No. 1 may be inescapable in the not-too-distant future.

Ricky O'Donnell is the editor of the Chicago sports blog Tremendous Upside Potential. Contact him at richardopodonnell@gmail.com.

UPDATED: 'Winning ugly' in more ways than one

2009-11-01T21:05:45Z

Jason McKie (left) celebrates with Matt Forte after one of Forte's two TDs.

Rarely in the NFL's hallowed history has a 30-6 victory looked less impressive or drawn more boos from a victorious home crowd than what we witnessed Sunday at Soldier Field.

Talk about ugly: The Bears came out in their Halloween orange (not the most appropriate look on a day you're honoring Walter Payton) and played uninspired offensive football, especially in the red zone. But thanks to the absolute ineptitude of the Browns' offense (five giveaways leading to 20 Bears points), Lovie & Co. get a badly needed bounce-back victory.

]]> Browns QB Derek Anderson evoked memories of Jonathan Quinn, Chad Hutchinson and Craig Krenzel with his abysmal effort: 6-of-17, 76 yards, no TDs, 2 picks and a 10.5 passer rating against a defense that was shreded by Cincinnati a week ago. Jay Cutler was mediocre but looked great in comparison: 17-of-30, 225 yards, no TDs, 1 pick and a 66.7 rating.

The Bears won't be playoff-bound if they don't start producing better in the red zone (too many field goals instead of touchdowns). And although the defense looked great today, you can't put much stock in it considering how bad the Browns are.

So the Bears stand 4-3 with a tough portion of the schedule looming: Arizona, at San Francisco, Philadelphia and at Minnesota. Is a split in those four games too much to hope for?

Let's hear your take on what today's victory means and where the Bears go from here.

You make the call: Browns at Bears

2009-10-30T05:02:38Z

The Bears can't afford to fumble their chance to beat up on an NFL patsy.

As we've discussed, it's the year of the blowout in the NFL. We know that Vegas bookies are taking a bath as one creampuff after another gets trounced by double-digit margins. Hard to believe there are still three winless teams (the Rams and Buccaneers at 0-7, the Titans at 0-6). Among the teams with only one victory are the Cleveland Browns, who visit Soldier Field on Sunday. Just what the Bears need: a truly awful opponent.

But the way the Bears were outclassed Sunday, you could argue they have "awful" potential themselves. Lovie Smith has stressed that the 45-10 shellacking in Cincinnati was just one game, and the bookies are expecting a big bounce-back this weekend. How about you?

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What will we see from the Bears this Sunday? A renewed commitment to the power run game (Josh Beekman in for Frank Omiyale and more playing time for blocking tight end Desmond Clark) and better pass coverage from the linebacking corps with Hunter Hillenmeyer back in the middle and Nick Roach on the outside. And an inspired, emotional effort from a team eager to put last week's embarrassment behind them.

I'm going with the Bears, 27-10. What say you? Post your prediction here, any time between now and kickoff Sunday.

REMINDER: Be sure to join our live Bears chat during Sunday's game, led with impeccable precision by Adam Jahns. For the Bengals chat we had our biggest day yet as fans felt the need to vent: nearly 500 participants and more than 1,600 comments. It's a great way to celebrate or commiserate with fellow fans while watching the action.

UPDATED: How many wins for Bulls?

2009-10-29T05:04:39Z

Vinny Del Negro's Bulls will seek to improve on their 41-41 record of last season.

UPDATE: Last chance, Bulls fans: Get your prediction in before tonight's tipoff against the Spurs -- how many wins for the Bulls this season and how far do they advance in the playoffs? So far, we have Tim as the leading optimist with 55 wins and a possible Eastern finals berth. Drew (54) and RPK (53, 2nd-round exit) are close behind, followed by Villano (51, 2nd round), Seedy (48), Keith (46, 1st round), Tim Little (45, 2nd round), Qumar (43) and then Hitman and yours truly at 42 (hey, Hitman, we finally agree on something!). Get your prediction in by 7 p.m. Central and we'll see who was right come April.

By popular demand -- OK, by Edgar's demand -- we present our Bulls' season preview post, in which we solicit your predictions on what their final regular-season record will be and how far you foresee them advancing in the playoffs.

]]> A good barometer could be Thursday's season opener vs. San Antonio. The Spurs figure to be among the NBA elite, having added Richard Jefferson and rookie DeJuan Blair to an already-stellar cast. But it's going to take a while to get a true read on this Bulls team because of Derrick Rose's lingering ankle issues -- he admits it's unlikely he will play major minutes for at least the first few games. Then comes the annual November circus trip, meaning another sluggish start to the season could be in store.

On the plus side Thursday, the Spurs will be playing the tail end of a back-to-back (they open Wednesday at home vs. the Hornets). The absence of Rose during the preseason gave other Bulls' players an opportunity to step up, with Tyrus Thomas looking particularly promising.

My outlook for the Bulls' season? Similar to a year ago: a record around .500 and an early out in the playoffs. The Eastern Conference isn't loaded but still features formidable hurdles. Tuesday's opening-night games bore witness to a revitalized Celtics team getting a double-double from a healthy Kevin Garnett (13 points, 10 rebounds) and a strong debut from Rasheed Wallace (12 points, 3 boards), which -- combined with Paul Pierce's 23-point effort -- was enough to ruin the Cavaliers debut of Shaquille O'Neal (10 points, 10 boards). Also noteworthy was the Wizards' 102-91 victory at Dallas behind 29 points from a healthy Gilbert Arenas.

Put me down for a 42-40 final Bulls record, with an improving Rose and Thomas offsetting the departure of Ben Gordon. Send us your Bulls season predictions and we'll hang onto them and see who was right come next April.

'Big Mac' is back, but will fans forgive?

2009-10-27T05:08:32Z

Mark McGwire may be beloved in St. Louis, but he will be scrutinized elsewhere.

I thought it was a joke, a baseless Internet rumor, when I first heard about it Sunday: Mark McGwire, disgraced home run king, coming out of seclusion after eight years to become hitting coach for Tony La Russa and the St. Louis Cardinals? Preposterous!

I double-checked my calendar to make sure it wasn't April 1. McGwire, who has been allergic to the public eye in general and the media in particular since his infamous appearance before the 2005 Congressional steroids hearings, accepting a job that will put him back in a baseball uniform for an entire major-league season? What's next, I wondered: Sammy Sosa coming back to the Cubs as team captain?

]]> Terence Moore and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Jeff Gordon. I agree with Moore when he writes that there's simply no way this will end well. The first indication of that came Monday when McGwire was absent from the news conference announcing his hiring. He steadfastly has refused to discuss the steroids allegations and it's hard to imagine how he will deal with it if he travels with the team to every major-league city (Moore speculates that the Cardinals will keep him out of sight and simply say he is working "behind the scenes").

Gordon points out that McGwire would be wise to come clean and admit his performance-enhancing drug use, noting that most fans acknowledge how commonplace the practice was during that era and usually are forgiving of those who express remorse. If he doesn't get it out of the way now, it will haunt the Cardinals from the start of spring training onward and create a distraction that could undermine their entire season.

What's your take on McGwire? Should he be left alone if he once again tells the media that he "doesn't want to discuss the past," or should he be scorned unless he comes clean? Do you see any problem with McGwire becoming the Cardinals' hitting coach, and do you think he deserves to someday be voted into baseball's Hall of Fame?

Crutch time for Bears: Here comes Cleveland

2009-10-26T05:03:01Z

Browns QB Derek Anderson feels the pain during Sunday's 31-3 loss to Green Bay.

If you're a Bears fan who wasted three hours of your life watching the 45-10 debacle Sunday at Cincinnati, you don't need any further rehashing here of how excruciating that ordeal was. Many of you already have vented your spleen on the previous thread, and your criticisms of Lovie Smith and his admittedly embarrassed players were dead-on.

You can read all about it elsewhere on this site: Neil Hayes calls it possibly the worst loss in franchise history, given the hype surrounding Jay Cutler and the fact the Bears were mere one-point underdogs. Mike Mulligan says this could be the death knell of the Bears' Tampa-2 defense. And no one is happier today than former Bears castoff Ced Benson, who rushed for a career-high 189 yards.

]]> The only -- and I mean the only -- ray of light for the Bears (3-3) is that they get a chance to redeem themselves next Sunday against the lowly Cleveland Browns (1-6), who were thumped at home 31-3 Sunday by Green Bay. The impotent Browns had only 139 total yards, a paltry 99 passing by Derek Anderson (who was 12-of-29). You'd think that former Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn could do better than that, but he has been exiled to Eric Mangini's bench. Cleveland's only victory was a 6-3 snooze-fest over former Bears coach Dick Jauron's Buffalo Bills.

In an NFL season marred by way too many truly bad teams, the Bears are fortunate to have the Browns coming up Sunday, a Dec. 6 visit by the winless St. Louis Rams (0-7) -- who were buried 42-6 Sunday by the Indianapolis Colts -- and a second date with the Detroit Lions (1-5). Unfortunately, the schedule-makers didn't see fit to set the Bears up with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-7), Tennessee Titans (0-6) or Kansas City Chiefs (1-5).

But the Bears' schedule is taking a turn for the worse: Their Nov. 8 home date with Arizona, which seemed winnable given the Cardinals' usual road woes, now looks much more daunting. Arizona (4-2) followed up its road rout of Seattle last week with an even more convincing victory Sunday, 24-17 at the New York Giants. So, what the schedule gives, the schedule also takes away.

Look, the Bears aren't as nearly bad as they looked against the Bengals. Neither are they as good as they looked in beating the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 2. Under Lovie, the Bears usually bounce back after a bad loss. But the reality is that rarely do teams get beat as thoroughly as the Bears did Sunday and still advance to the playoffs. A hard look at the remaining schedule now suggests, at best, an 8-8 record.

OK, you've had a little time to digest this disturbing defeat. What's your revised take on the where the Bears are headed, both this season and in the future?

You make the call: Bears at Bengals

2009-10-23T05:01:32Z

Ex-Bear Cedric Benson has been finding plenty of running room in Cincinnati.

So many story angles to Bears vs. Bengals: Cedric Benson accusing his former team of trying to blackball him while flashing the running ability with the Bengals that we never saw in Chicago. Tank Johnson, embroiled in controversy during his stint with the Bears, claiming to be a new man in Cincinnati. The wacky Chad Ochocinco twittering up a storm all week, talking trash with various Bears while also sending congratulatory tweets to Jay Cutler on his contract extension. And, oh yes, the game itself (which has been moved back to a 3:15 p.m. Central start to maximize the Fox viewing audience).

What looked like an easy game when the Bears' schedule was released last spring now looms as another rugged road assignment. The Bengals are off to a surprising 4-2 start, with victories over Pittsburgh and at Green Bay (where the Bears were unable to win), and they understandably have been installed as 1 1/2-point favorites. But in spite of all the Bears' flaws that were exposed in Atlanta, I look for them to walk away from this one with a victory.

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The Bears' defense also will be beyond fired-up to shut down Benson, particularly in light of the blackball accusations he made this week. The unit limited Falcons star Michael Turner to 30 yards on 13 carries as Atlanta gained only 68 yards on the ground (of course, the Bears rushed for only 83). The bigger concern will be keeping a lid on quarterback Carson Palmer and his Twittering target Ochocinco. Peanut Tillman will need to come up big, along with the rest of the secondary.

I'm calling it Bears 24, Bengals 20. But much like the Atlanta game, this isn't a must-win, considering that Lovie Smith's crew is a road 'dog. The schedule gets more favorable after this, so if the Bears can steal a victory in Cincy, the road to the playoffs is wide open.

REMINDER: Be sure to join our live Bears chat during Sunday's game, led with impeccable precision by Adam Jahns. For previous chats we have had nearly 500 participants and more than 2,100 comments. It's a great way to celebrate or commiserate with fellow fans while watching the action.