A long time ago in a season far far away the Bears had men like Bronco Nagurski, Dick Butkus, and Mike Ditka. Now they added Trubisky. Mitch Trubisky, the man from North Carolina and he’s a quarter back. The great Michael Jordan was from North Carolina University and look what he did for the town of Chicago, six titles for the Bulls. Could this be the answer to all of our prayers? Mitch Trubisky behind center leading us to the promise land? The Bears have not won a Super Bowl since 1985. The last time we have been there was 2006 with Dr.Jekell and Mr. Hyde. Good Rex Grossman bad Rex Grossman. Will Mitch be like Jim McMahon or like Rex Grossman? I hear the words the great Lovie use to say Rex is still our quarterback. Don’t even bring up Jay Cutler who is still sailing on his boat showing his bare bum to his wife.

I want to see the best for the Bears. I really want this thing to work. But deep down the gut feeling is saying DOOM. First thing I was shocked when they traded up and swapped picks with the Niners. I was thinking maybe they wanted Solomon Thomas the next best defensive line men after Cleveland got their junk yard dog. Quarter backs are so valuable in the NFL because its a league now a days with a sparse amount of good quarterbacks. I can see why they wanted one. But it seems like they were bamboozled. Like Pace traded the cow for the beans. Did the Bears have to trade all those draft picks just to swap picks with Niners? I believe if they let things stand pact they would of gotten Trubisky anyways at number three. Here we go again the Bears are bidding against themselves. For all of this they gave the Niners their third round pick, fourth round pick and in 2018 another third round pick. Like Hank Hill would say, “What the hell”.

This reminds me of the Rick Mirer trade which was another first round blunder. It’s like the time they did not franchise tag Cutler to see what his performance would be that year. Instead they were scared they might hurt his feelings and Jay would take his ball and go home. So three brinks trucks later and years of crappy quarter back play with extra tude the Bears were back at the drawing board. Before the draft they went out and got Mike Glennon and they gave him a lot of money. Which now Glennon has seen this before when he was in Tampa he was the starter and the Bucs then drafted Winston. The Bears were so desperate they even signed the butt fumbler Dirty Sanchez who sounds like a cheesy cowboy porn. Well this will give them options. But they will have lots of money invested in the quarterback position and we don’t even know if they got it right.

This year’s draft was a weak quarterback class. Mitch Trubisky is probably one of the better ones. People are comparing him to Ryan Leaf which that is crazy, But that’s the way the cookie crumbles for the Bears as they can’t get that position right. I hope John Fox has a good quarterback coach on his staff because they will need one. If the Bears had Tom Brady he would not be Tom Brady like. He would turn to stone and become a lawn ornament.

What I like about Mitch Trubisky is he is not Jay Cutler. He looks like he has a solid arm. I like the passing accuracy in the short game. He seems like a leader which has been lacking under center with the Cutler. His name is Mitch. The last Mitch we had in town was Mitch Williams who played for the Cubbies. He was nicknamed the Wild Thing. It was like in the movie Major league where the owner says, “that song I hate that song,” when everybody in the crowd would be singing wild thing,

I do not like about Mitch that he has only started 13 games since high school. He’s coming off not a good bowl game. He needs to be aware of his surroundings on the field of play, too many lapses like Grossman. His deep ball is not anything to bring home to mom.

But my stomach is still feeling Doom after this pick. I do like he can sit and watch the first season and soak it all in unless Glennon gets hurt. Then the butt fumbler will probably get booed off the field from the Bears faithful. Oh the fans will probably be chanting Mitch’s name all season until the Bears are backed into the corner and have to play him. Hopefully Glennon plays well and keeps Mitch on the bench. Then the Bears can take their time and build something special with him when it comes time when the new Wild thing takes the controls to lead the Bears over the Packers. DA BEARS!!!

Chad Kelly is my sleeper pick for the 2017 football draft. Denver Broncos picked up Kelly in the seventh round of the draft and I think they have a steal. With off the field issues and some injuries. he’s plummeted his stock like the great stock market crash itself. Maybe it is something in the water at Buffalo because he ran on the field of his brother’s football game causing a ruckus. Patrick Kane loved to punch the cab drivers. Maybe the athletic  superstars in this town find this kind of stuff to pass the time. He comes off as a troubled kid but the NFL is filled with convicts and they have done worse things than Chad has done.

If Chad Kelly came out of the draft in 2016 he would of probably been picked up in the earlier rounds. This is Jim Kelly, the former Buffalo Bill and hall of farmer’s, nephew. This kid has a whale of an arm as well. I like the way he throws the ball down the field as he zips it into the receiver’s bread basket with ease and precision. He is a gunslinger so he will throw some interceptions. His tight end at Ole Miss Evan Engram was picked in the first round by the New York Giants. He looks like a great pick up by the G-Men. They were showing high lights and who was throwing him the ball Chad Kelly.

All’s it took was a call from John Elway to Jim Kelly and the deal was done. I believe John Elway knows a thing or two about being a quarter back as he has led the Broncos to numerous super bowls. Each quarter back in the first few rounds had a lot they had to improve on their own game. It was a year with watered down quarterbacks coming out of the draft. Patrick Mahomes needs to work on his foot work. Mitchell Tribisky does not throw a good deep ball. Deshaun Watson is prone to throw too many interceptions. Not saying there is not anything wrong with Chad Kelly’s game. I’m sure he needs to improve on something. I think he is just as good as those first round quarterbacks. Give it a few seasons and you will see Chad Kelly rise up in the ranks of the Broncos as he passes Trevor Siemian and last year’s guy, Paxton Lynch. You do not really get much from a seventh round pick. If he does bad again he is only a seventh round draft choice. If seventh rounders make the team maybe they contribute on special teams mostly. Only some become great players in the league.

The Broncos will have him on the cheap as well for a few years as well. They can take their time developing him. Plus he will have three quarterback coaches in his ear at all times. His Uncle Jim,John Elway and whoever is the quarter back coach on the staff presently for the Broncos. It will be like the Jedi’s Luke Skywalker is in his corner at all times. Plus Chad Kelly probably has a little of his Uncle in him. When Buffalo drafted him Jim Kelly was like hell no I’m not playing in that town. Then he signed with the Houston Gamblers of the USFL.  Years later he ended up playing in Buffalo and he loved the town. Maybe it just takes a few years to grow up in the Kelly household. I think Chad Kelly will grow up, change his way and ride the high horse in the mile high city. Maybe he will be the Kelly that wins the Superbowl.

The Wild Shamrock did not do well with it’s predictions in the first round of the playoffs.

We must of been picking who had the better jersey. We were correct 2-8 in the first round match ups. We picked a very bad week to stop sniffing glue. We will man up and give you some bold predictions for round two. All’s you have to do is pick the opposite and you’re golden.

Round Two Match ups

Washington Capitals versus Pittsburgh Penguins

These are the two teams we were correct on in round one. I think it’s very hard in the NHL to repeat. I think Washington finally will get over the hump against their arch rival and win this series. I think this will be the best series and it will go the distance.

Washington in seven

New York Rangers versus Ottawa Senators

I think the way Henrick Lundqvist is ruling the net for the Rangers, I think this continues against the Senators. Senators are not getting much respect. They took out the Bruins and did not get any respect in the first round. However when goalies are on a hot streak, like the Rangers, I just can’t see the Senators winning more than one game.

New York in five

Nashville Predators versus St. Louis Blues

Everything worked for the Predators against the Hawks. Every part of their game was like a well oiled machine as they finally beat the Hawks who have knocked them out of the playoffs more than once. I’m not sold on St.Louis just because they advanced over the Wild. I think the Predators will continue to play well. They will lose two games to the Blues but prevail in game six and advancing to the semi finals.

Nashville in six

Edmonton Oilers versus Anaheim Ducks

The Oilers remind me of the younger Black Hawks a season before they took the first cup out of the three they have won in recent years. They are young and hungry and led by a future super star in Connor McDavid. They already have taken out last year’s Eastern conference champion, the Sharks. This should be a good series. However people do not know much about the Ducks. They are a very good team that is well balanced up and down their lines. The Ducks are the hottest team right now, as they have not lost in the last 22 games,which includes the first round sweep of the Flames. I say the Ducks continue to quack their way to the championship round.

Anaheim in six

 

It was not the shot that won the game and sealed the deal for the Bulls when Michael Jordan retired after beating the Jazz. It was not John Elway or Peyton Manning walking into the sun set after they won another Superbowl. Everyone has a different way of leaving the game they love for whatever reasons. John Kruk when he played for the White Sox hit a single and then called it a career. He went straight to the locker room, got dressed and left the building as his way of calling it a career. Bryan Bickell was Kruk like but in a different way, two Sunday ago. Bryan Bickell ended his hockey career with the Carolina Hurricanes with a overtime shoot out goal that was his last shot in the NHL. It was also  his first career shoot out goal.

Bryan Bickell’s NHL career will always be the 2013 playoffs. He went absolutely ape shit crazy that year as he scored 9 goals and had 8 assists to help the Blackhawks win the cup in 2013. He was a part of all three of the Blackhawk’ cups but the 2013 playoffs he was playing out of his mind. He was a big guy that made his net presence known as he blocked the vision of the goalie. He boxed out opposing defenders and got the rebound of the puck and sent it into the net – that was Bickell’s game. He was awarded a big contract after that year and was never the same.

When players receive large contacts they intend not to play to their capabilities when they had the eye of the tiger. In Rocky three against Mister T, Rock lost his edge. He was living the dream and enjoying his success but lost his edge for the game. Bickell was enjoying his fame as he even had a hot dog named after him in a restaurant called Meatheads. They called it the Bickell dog. Maybe he could not get his edge back because he was dealing with injuries that he could not rebound from. He was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. He began experiencing symptoms of vertigo in 2015 from an affected tooth. Before he received the 16 million dollar contract his best regular season was 2010-2011 where he had 17 goals 20 assists. He never had that type of regular season again. He was well awarded for the year he had in the playoffs. The Hawks could use someone with that skills type this year. Injuries kept with him as his play suffered. No team wanted to take on that big of a contract as the Hawks wanted to get rid of him. He was sent down to the Hawks minor league team in the AHL. Then finally the Hawks needed to dump some salary. It was for salary cap purposes and they had to trade young star Teuvo Teravainen. The Hurricanes came along but to get the young star they had to take Bickell as well. Bickell was up and down from the minors all year and still was dealing with injuries.

The contract ran out and his body was not responding. It was time to hang up the skates. He wanted to retire to focus on his MS treatments after which people are never the same. Playing a sport especially hockey with all the movement, strength and endurance you need…MS just bleeds your body’s nervous system. It eats away the protective covering of the nerves to weaken a once invincible player like Bickell who had no fear. Number 29 leaves the game at the age of 31 years old. He will probably continue his work with wife at the Bickell foundation that helps rescue abused pit bulls. You would love to leave the game on a high note, which he did with a goal. Plus helping the Blackhawks win three cups is nothing to sneeze at. Hopefully the treatments  make him be able to do the things he loves besides playing hockey. Hopefully he will be moving around for years to come and playing with his dogs and hanging out with his family and sharing all the wonderful memories he has provided the great city of Chicago. I love the superstars on teams. But lots of my favorite players from all the sports are role players. Or the players that do the dirty work in the trenches. Bryan Bickell was your typical blue collar worker in the game of hockey.

ROUND ONE (BEST OF SEVEN)

WESTERN CONFERENCE

MATCH UPS

NEW YORK RANGERS VERSUS MONTREAL CANADIANS

(MONTREAL SWEEP IN FOUR GAMES)

OTTAWA SENATORS VERSUS BOSTON BRUINS

(BOSTON IN GAME FIVE)

WASHINGTON CAPITALS VERSUS TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS

(WASHINGTON IN GAME FIVE)

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS VERSUS COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS

(PITTSBURGH IN GAME SIX)

EASTERN CONFERENCE

CHICAGO BLACK HAWKS VERSUS NASHVILLE PREDATORS

(CHICAGO IN GAME SIX)

MINNESOTA WILD VERSUS ST. LOUIS BLUES

(MINNESOTA GAME SIX)

ANAHEIM DUCKS VERSUS CALGARY FLAMES

(CALGARY IN SIX)

EDMONTON OILERS VERSUS SAN JOSE SHARKS

(SAN JOSE GAME IN SEVEN)

In Oakland the beans don’t burn on the grill. The Raiders are moving on up to that deluxe casino in the sky. They were born in Oakland in 1960 when the Raiders played in the AFL One of the most popular franchises in the league, the silver and black razzled and dazzled fans for decades. As a franchise this is not their first rodeo when it comes to moving. The Raiders moved from Oakland in 1982 and became the Los Angeles Raiders. However they returned to Oakland in 1995. Raiders have won three Superbowls as they captured Superbowl XI and Superbowl XV in Oakland while winning Superbowl XVIII in LA.

This has been the third franchise in recent years to move their team. St.Louis Rams moved to LA. Then the San Diego Chargers also are in the process of moving to LA. Los Angeles has been years without an NFL and they used to have two. Now they will have two again. It’s all about the almighty dollar. Roger Goodell the NFL commissioner and all the owners in the league don’t care about people they hurt. They only care about what’s in the people’s wallet. They give it then they take it away. St.Louis had two teams come in and out of their city. They did get to see Kurt Warner guide them to a Superbowl. They were the greatest show on turf. They played in a newly built stadium in 1995 and left back to LA in 2015. Only Twenty years for a stadium. That’s why they left St.Louis as they wanted another stadium. Then San Diego which has the best weather in the States how would you not want to stay and play in that city which baffles my mind. Before my time Chicago had two football teams which would of been very cool. It was like baseball the Bears and the Cubs on the North side while the Cardinals and the White Sox on the South side.  I might of been a Cardinal fan. Actually in Chicago they still have a few Cardinals fans that still root for them because the team was born in Chi town.  However you might still have a cult following from fans in cities that their NFL team abandoned them. Most likely you come away with anger fans. When the Oilers left, Houston fans were steamed so the owners of the Titans had to get their team out of dodge quickly. This could happen in Oakland as well. The Raiders are expected to play in the Vegas desert in 2020. Where are they going to play and be supported? If you piss off the Black hole you might get lynched. The Raiders could find their way to San Antonio for a temporary home.

So why Vegas? Las Vegas will be one of the smallest markets in the United States. Las Vegas has one minor league baseball team called the 51’s which have been there for years and are well established. When you think Vegas you think of tourists coming into sin city to gamble or get it on and have a few days of fun and leave town while you still can. Las Vegas did have a minor league hockey team called the Thunder but it did not last. However they will be getting a new Hockey team and this time one of the main four sports. The Vegas Golden Knights will be dropping the puck in the NHL next year instead of the Thunder back in minor league hockey, the IHL. Nevada has been booming with more and more people headed to that state to live a better life. I actually know two girls that have been from Chicago and have moved to Nevada and they are happy as clams. However the NFL and the owners have money signs in their eyeballs as their tongues wag out of their mouths like a crazed dog. For years the NFL was against gambling. Football is one the most popular sports to gamble on. You know Roger and his disciples will have his hands in the cookie jar of cash as the NFL will probably let gambling happen and everyone in their tight circle will be swimming in cash like Scrooge McDuck.

The Black hole is in my opinion one best fans in all of sports. It also one of the scariest groups of fans in all of sports. From grim reapers to Darth Vader’s along with the cast from Mad Max and whatever other Halloween mask they can grab out of their closet they are nuts. It’s a shame because when the Raiders move to Vegas they will be playing in a dome. Plus what kinds of fans will they get out there? My favorite story is hearing one of these motorcycle guys with his face painted and he was wearing shoulder pads with spikes coming out and yelled to a ref. He screamed whatever number on his back and the Ref looked at him from the field as this was before the game said something like you suck and if you blow a call your a dead man. The refs quickly walk away from the fans and towards the field maybe feeling a little uneasy. To get all those crazies in one place rooting on their team and putting the scare into the other team –  that is what Raider Nation is all about. Will they have this type of dedication in Vegas? Will you get fans from Vegas? It seems like Vegas has a good portion of it’s people coming from other states to live. These people might root for the teams they left from their former towns they lived. Maybe the porn convention weekend can get some ladies dressed in black leather. At times motorcycle gangs cruise into Nevada. Maybe they can make a section of the new dome scary. That’s another thing I have a hard time with, picturing the Raiders playing their home games in a dome.

This is the screw ball that is killing the black hole and breaking Oakland’s heart at the same time as they will lose their beloved Raider team.

“JUST MOVE BABY,” with his stupid Dumb and Dumber hair cut. The city of Oakland’s Mayor came out with a last minute proposal to try to keep the team in Oakland. But Roger Goodell was quick to kick that proposal to the curb. The NFL, Mark Davis and the city of Oakland could of gotten something done. They see Oakland as a town of three brinks trucks filled with gold, but they see Vegas as a fleet of brinks trucks filled with gold. I hate when they mess with old franchises and when they move. They could easily gave Vegas a expansion team and have kept the Raiders in California. It’s GREED and now the NFL will have their hands in football gambling. Next they will want my dog.