Walter Payton and Devin Hester
Since the Bears season was over and because Walter Payton was one of the primary reasons I became a bears fan, I was trolling YouTube for Walter Payton Highlights.
I missed out on Walter's best years, since I'd never even seen a football game prior to 83 when Channel 4 started showing games in the UK. For some reason the game just grabbed me to the point that I played for a year on one of the UK teams circa 1989 despite running up an overdraft to pay for the equipment. Fact is I was a bad 3rd string running back the year I played, 1 carry for 3 yards if I remember correctly and couple of blown kick coverages even if I was faster than most of the guys in pads.
But Walter Payton is the reason I'm a Bears fan and to a large extent the reason I watch football, so I sometimes like to watch highlights especially with such a dismal season to look back on. Someone had posted highlights of Hester on the ChicagoBears.com boards, and I was scanning those. Anyway while drinking single malt scotch and watching said highlights I was surprised by the similarities.
Not that Hester looked vaguely like Payton, Unless he suddenly starts running people over they're very different players. But specifically in their ability to set up blocks, Payton was a surprisingly patient back and watching him set up his down field blocks reminded me of Hester doing the same on kick returns, moving left and right just enough to miss on coming tacklers waiting for the opportunity to explode downfield.......
Hester is enough to make me ache for the 2008 season in Chicago, as Payton was enough to make me root for Chicago in the mid 80's when the NFL was first shown on British television.
There are a lot of off season questions to be answered by the Chicago Bears, but at some level those answers don't matter to me. I'm a fan and I support them regardless, of course I prefer them to win. And through my "fan only rose tinted spectacles", right now I fully expect them to be champions next year.
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Starting QB in 08
I think it's pretty clear that the starting Quarterback for 08 is most likely on the roster today. There are a number of possible scenarios.
1. We grab a free agent/trade for a QB -- In this scenario, we'd most likely be starting whomever we bring in, but it doesn't look like McNabb is going anywhere and the Bears aren't in the "looking for one last piece" mode that leads to high draft picks being slung around for say a Derek Anderson.
2. We Draft a QB on day one -- Even if we do it's unlikely he'll start in his rookie year, so we'll be starting someone currently on the roster.
3. We Draft a QB lower in the draft -- see 2 but with 0 chance to start.
4. We have exactly the same set of QB's we have already.
Given that though who starts?
I think this comes down to whether or not Rex signs with the Bears next year, if he does I think we'll see an open competition between him and Kyle for the starting job, and a of right now, I think it's likely Rex would start.
If some other team places significant value on Rex, I think he's gone and Orton starts next year, we'd either then draft a QB on day one (depending on how the draft plays out) or in one of the later rounds as a project.
I think Griese will be on the roster going into next year in either scenario.
I doubt very much Rex will still be a free agent come draft day, so we should have a pretty good idea who's going to be under center next year in March.
I think it's pretty clear that the starting Quarterback for 08 is most likely on the roster today. There are a number of possible scenarios.
1. We grab a free agent/trade for a QB -- In this scenario, we'd most likely be starting whomever we bring in, but it doesn't look like McNabb is going anywhere and the Bears aren't in the "looking for one last piece" mode that leads to high draft picks being slung around for say a Derek Anderson.
2. We Draft a QB on day one -- Even if we do it's unlikely he'll start in his rookie year, so we'll be starting someone currently on the roster.
3. We Draft a QB lower in the draft -- see 2 but with 0 chance to start.
4. We have exactly the same set of QB's we have already.
Given that though who starts?
I think this comes down to whether or not Rex signs with the Bears next year, if he does I think we'll see an open competition between him and Kyle for the starting job, and a of right now, I think it's likely Rex would start.
If some other team places significant value on Rex, I think he's gone and Orton starts next year, we'd either then draft a QB on day one (depending on how the draft plays out) or in one of the later rounds as a project.
I think Griese will be on the roster going into next year in either scenario.
I doubt very much Rex will still be a free agent come draft day, so we should have a pretty good idea who's going to be under center next year in March.
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