The Chicago Bears continue to tinker with their roster for the up coming season by adding veteran wide receiver Victor Cruz to a one year deal. Cruz was a weapon of mass destruction for the Giants for years helping Eli Manning win a super bowl against the hated Patriots. For a few seasons Cruz put up Tecmo bowl numbers on opponents as he was the Giants’ main weapon. Then injuries sidelined the all pro receiver. Then to watch the emergence of Odell Beckham steal the show with his one hand grabs. His ability to catch the ball on the run and make defenders miss and take it to the house. By the time Cruz came back he was the forgotten man in the Giants receiving corps.

Cruz was due to make 7.4 million this upcoming season but was cut. Usually veterans get cut for salary cap issues, but the Giants went out and signed Brandon Marshall and the sunny personality he brings to a team’s locker room. Last year the Giants drafted another receiver Sterling Shepard and he put up big numbers along with Beckham making the Giants with a duel threat down field. Cruz stay healthy and played 15 games but he’s seen his numbers drop drastically to only 39 catches 586 yards and only one Touchdown. He even said in a radio interview on 105.1 FM “I felt it all year long. Halfway through the year I’m Ballin! The other half I’m not getting the ball and you’re like whats going on?” Ok. I see what’s happening. Cruz explained “They don’t want me any more.”

Which is probably true because they signed Brandon Marshall who brings cancer to anybody’s locker room. Whatever the deal is the Giants might of saved some money. The Giants might even know something that they are not telling everyone. This could be buyer beware. No one buys more stuff from the dollar bin than the Chicago Bears. I could see Coach Fox and the GM Pace riding the streets on garbage pick up night in a rusty ford truck. Found on the road dead. The bed of the truck filled with veterans ousted by their teams and left on the curb for the Bears to seize before the league permanently disposes of them for good. Like they say another person’s garbage is another person’s treasure.

Bears do desperately need receiving help. Especially if you want the Bears’ wacky quarterback situation to blossom. They need somebody besides Cameron Meredith to throw to who was actually a quarterback in college. They cut veteran Eddie Royal recently. They have first rounder Kevin White on their roster but he can’t stay healthy enough to play half the season. They let Alshon Jeffery walk out as he headed to Philly. Josh Bellamy knows how to get open or other teams just let him be wide open as he drops everything that’s in his bread basket. Yes indeed the Bears need help there and help in other areas as well.

Will Cruz come to the Bears where Receivers go die? In the words of former Bear and Panther Mushin Muhammad, can he be a mentor to the younger receivers and help them get better? At the age of 30, can Victor Cruz put up decent numbers and stay on the healthy track? This is a roll of the dice move for both parties. Cruz is looking for another contract while the Bears hope Cruz can become a staple for their man Mitch to throw to. It’s only a one year deal which if it goes sour both parties can walk away. Will Cruz be kicked back to the curb for another team in a broken down truck to pick him up? Or will the garbage collector take his career away for good? If he does well he’ll probably jump ship after one year and head for greener pastures with another team and help them win a superbowl. That’s the Bears way.

In his first full season as a Blackhawk, Richard Panik had a season he will always remember. It’s a season that put him on the map in the NHL. He was well awarded with a two year extension from the Blackhawks worth 2.8 million dollars a year in the next two seasons. Most likely he would of gotten way more if he became a free agent but he wants to be a Blackhawk and the team wants the left winger to stay in Chicago.

This is the Third move the Blackhawks had made since they were swept out of the first round by the Nashville Predators. The front office of the Hawks promised a huge shake up this off season and they started off by firing Joel Quenneville’s long time assistant coach and long time friend Mike Kitchen. Then they traded Darling to the Hurricanes. Now they have extended Richard Panik to an extension that is generous but the Hawks salary cap does not have much wiggle room as they are fully invested in their Stanley cup champion core and some of the youngsters that have been blossoming. Most likely the new expansion team the Las Vegas Golden Knights will probably select Marcus Kruger which will take three million off the cap. We probably will see other moves in which Stan Bowman will want to improve his roster.

The defense did not look well in the playoffs against Nashville. Brent Seabrook could be on the trading block as he struggled in the playoffs and at the end of regular season. I like the way the young guys are coming around but I do think they need a few guys that have net presence and are able to take the rebound and put the puck in the net. Panik is one of those types of guys. They need more guys that bring their lunch box to work. I think this hurt them in the playoffs. Guys like Andrew Shaw, Bickell and Byfuglien were guys that had like 17 goals during the regular season and then rose up in the playoffs. We did not have that this year. I think Andrew Shaw was missed because he did all the dirty grunt work. He rebound for his shots while taking punishment. He would take hits to get his team the power play. He would give hits to protect his Captain or any other guy on the ice that wore the indian head. He was like a grinder like Killer in Slap shot. He even dropped the gloves and went Blades of Steel on the opponent. For Christ sakes he took a puck to the head and still played and finished the game. You need more of those guys to go along with all the other talent they have.

I hope they have some one like a killer or Shaw in the minors that is ready. If they don’t, I hope they make a trade and land someone that has a big body to camp out in front of the net and block the goalie’s view. Push away the defenders and slap the biscuit in the basket.

The Panik move is far the best move of the off season for Stan Bowman. Yes Darling was going to be a free agent and no way we could of afforded him anymore. But some skeptics believed Crawford should of been traded and Darling should of been kept. The jury will still be out on that decision in the next few years. Richard Panik was by far one of the best trades Bowman has made in the recent years. He Gave the Maple leaves Jeremy Morin for Panik as the leaves at the time did not think he was very talented. Panik is a tough physical player that does a lot of different things to make the team better. He can do the dirty work and work the trenches of the battlefield to get some of his goals. Glad to have him on the team for a few more years. I know he will continue to get better as he is only 26 years old. He will grow with the established core and help the team win by doing a little of everything. Let’s improve that defense and add another guy that can be the new killer on the team. Stan Bowman has his work cut out for him this off season. I believe he will rise to the challenge and find a way to make some key moves to get the Hawks back deep into the playoffs and beyond.

I continue to hear people that are shocked that Colin Kaepernick is not on someone’s roster. I have seen lots of articles claiming the same thing that somebody should add him to their roster. However you never hear the reporter say I want Kaepernick on my team. But sure they want to see him on another NFL team. But How come not your team that you root for? People think he is getting blacklisted from the NFL because he did not stand for the national anthem. What about his play on the field? He has the right to protest. But if his QB skills are declining does he deserve to be on a team? Do the teams in the NFL have to consider taking him? Could it be the baggage off the field and his decline as a productive player?

Football is a team sport. It takes everyone on the field to gel like a well oiled machine to be successful. The quarterback is the most important position on the field as he is the leader of the well oiled machine. He is usually the face of the franchise. He usually gets paid the most money on the field. He is the one that will lead the troops to the promise land. The team leadership Kaepernick has is he wants to protest against police brutality on his team’s time. He started sitting for the National anthem. He wore socks with pigs on them taking a poke at Police officers. He has his own agenda going on and you know it  split the locker room. He had some followers but it was only a handful. He had some more followers around the league, but only a handful. Would you see Rodgers, Breese, or Manning or Brady taking their own personal stand on team time? Now some people were probably gunning for him during the season so everyone has to even play harder to protect him. Some of his own teammates probably did not want to protect him. He could of easily made his stance as a celebrity off the field. I remember people got mad at Brandon Marshall on the Bears because he flew to New York to be part of one the football shows every week. People were critical of him because they thought he should be resting his injury. Even the same year Lance Briggs took off practice for the Bears to fly to Texas and be a part of his restaurant opening. These things made it tough on the team. Kaepernick made it tough for his team.

I would not want him on my team because the NFL has figured him out. He can’t throw the ball down the field like most running QBS. RG3 and Mike Vick were guys that had some success in the NFL but they  took too many hits. Vick had some decent years throwing down the field or throwing on the run. He had one last good year when they let him out of the dog house after sending multiple dogs to death in his back yard in his dog gladiator fights. Kaepernick is the same way. He helped the Niner’s get to the Super bowl when he replaced Alex Smith. After a few good seasons the wheels came off Kaepernick and the niner’s. Jim Harbaugh knew that Kaepernick was not going to be the next Brady. Fighting with the Niners management as well he knew that San Francisco was on it’s way to being a pile crap on a hot summer day. Michigan called and he was on the next flight. Colin Kaepernick can complete short passes and can run the ball. But defenses are prepared to make him throw the ball down the field and he cant. Steve Young is the best running QB I have ever seen. Because he can beat you with his feet and his arm and he had accuracy deep down the field.

Why would your team sign Kaepernick? He can not be the face of your franchise. Unless you cater to thugs or if the Reverend Tim Tom and his squadron of Gospel disciples will make a big stink if he’s being mistreated. You would have to have a head coach that could deal with him and make him tow the company team line. You would need a smart offensive coordinator to make another special offense for him. Then you will have to deal with is he or isn’t he going to stand for the national anthem from all the reporter questions that will be launched at the coach and the team’s front office. Then will he ever get that stellar quarterback play he for a season and half? He’s like Vanilla Ice, a one hit wonder. If the Bears signed him to replace Cutler I think Chicago would of rioted in the streets. They would be begging for Glennon and Trubisky who they drafted in the first round. Plus the biggest thing is he would never be able to lead a team. I can’t see him winning over a locker room and I don’t care how many suits he gives people at the homeless shelter or people that get out of prison. That’s how he should of started his stance against police brutality in the first place. Then he might have a job right now.

Early May brings you Star Wars day and now the Kentucky Derby in the same week. Freaking Han Solo did not get me the day off for the Star Wars day. On Festivus day I will air my grievances about Star Wars day and maybe next year I lean to the Dark side to pull some strings for me. But the Kentucky Derby is the BIG DADDY of all the horse races. It excites you like Opening day in baseball and the Super Bowl. I can’t forget the Indy car 500 for you gear heads out there. Spring is in full force when Kentucky Derby weekend is upon us. The smell of grilling is in the air. Big colorful floppy hats in your sights. Great for people watching with their hats and the outfits they wear. I love when these people wear the hats and outfits on another day. Derby day has Mint Julips dancing in your system. While everyone thinks they have the winning horse handicapped to perfection. It’s like watching a bunch of Fred Flintstones thinking they will get rich from the bet of the year.

DID NOT KNOW THE GOVERNOR HAS A HORSE IN PLAY?

 

PATCH

Patch was born in east LA. Lost his eye in a knife fight. Kidding!!! Patch will be running today in the Kentucky Derby as a long shot. He has one eye and he will be on the outside of the starting gate and not able to see the other horses when they start out. He is number 20 and this horse has an inspiring story. He is a three year old horse whose dad is the 2012 Belmont Stakes winner, Union Rags. His grampa won the Belmont Stakes and the Breeders cup. In his circle he went by the name of A.P Indy.

Last year Patch’s eye was swollen. It was causing him pain as it looked like it was not getting any better by the signs. They tried all the treatments they could but nothing was responding. They decided the best for the horse was to remove his eye. Actually Patch will be the fourth horse in Derby history to run the race with one eye. The surgery went well and the horse showed no signs of pain. After his recovery he won his first race he entered.

THE WILD SHAMROCK LONG SHOT TO WIN: PATCH

I hope Patch does well in the race. Obviously for his inspirational story. When I was a kid I went to Ireland and my Aunt Kathleen and my Uncle Joseph had a dog name Patches. He had his eyesight. He was a very cool dog as he had colored patches of fur around his eyes which is how he got his name.

My Mum and dad are big into the horse racing. My mum was always known to have a few mint julips and a floppy hat and always went down to Kentucky and to be present for the derby. Her side kick Dorothy was her Thelma in Thelma and Louise type of friendship of fun in their wild and crazy adventures involving a yellow convertible they called the yellow submarine. This machine saw lots of horse tracks and apple picking days. With my Mum’s Irish eyes smiling and a mint julip in her hand , she is going with

#17 HORSE  IRISH WAR CRY  $2.00 ACROSS

 

WE NOW BRING IN OUR EXPERT

He’s faster than a herd of snails. He’s known as Mr. Big in the casino world. He can eat a slider for any meal of the day. The man has his own seat at the local OTB. He has friends in his circle he calls Cadillac Tom and Vietnam Joe.

Marty the Party Serbins

Marty was born of the North side of Chicago so we will only subtract a few points from him. Marty has loved the horses since he was a wee lad. You hear about kids sneaking down to the ball park to catch a day game of their favorite team. But Marty would return bottles, cut a lawn, massage some old lady’s feet to earn some cash to ride his bike down to Arlington race track to place a bet. The ultimate mecca in his world as he wore his 29 inch waist for decades taking it all in the smell of food in the air with a tint of sweaty animals. I remember the first time walking into Comisky Park, the feeling and the atmosphere so hard to explain… but Marty had that with horses as he was handicapping them at a young age. His biggest jackpot he won on a long shot he invested in a ring for the love of his life. Marty Serbins is the Wild Shamrock Blog expert in the horse world.

Marty’s Kentucky Derby predictions:

WIN: IRISH WAR CRY

PLACE:GUNNEVERA

SHOW:ALWAYS DREAMING

SLEEPER:GIRVIN

We know our picks will not hold Marty’s tighty whities but we will try

WINNER: MCCRACKEN

PLACE:THE CLASSIC EMPIRE

We are picking the Classic Empire in hope that Darth and the gang prevail to secure us next year the day off on Star wars day.

SHOW:GIRVIN

OUR SLEEPER:PRACTICAL JOKE

Because we want to kill the BATMAN

The two people I most want to find about how their NFL career develops is Garrett Bolles and Gareon Conley. Lots going on in both their lives before they even play a down in the NFL. Garrett Bolles is an offensive linemen and he was drafted number 20 by the Denver Broncos. The 24th pick, the Raiders selected corner back Garceon Conley. Both players will bring the baggage of their lives to their new career once training camp begins.

Let’s start with Garett Bolles who was drafted out of Utah. His story is he found GOD. Yes the Broncos love drafting the religious bible thumpers as they drafted Tim Tebow. Now they have drafted the most talented offensive linemen they say in the draft. I’ve seen Dusty Baker use his kids as shields to help him defend off reporters. But Garrett walked down the stairs with his newborn son at the draft. I’ve never seen that as he has to be the first person to have done that. He looked like Doctor Claw from inspector Gadget petting his pussy cat. His dad kicked him out of the house when he was 18 because Garrett was the kind of person that walked on the wild side. Five schools later he finds himself at University of Utah and the good news is a family has taken him in. Plus he has found God. They showed his shoes from College that had all these psalms and scriptures written on them. I feel like some of his money will be going to the book of Mormans. He mentioned GOD a few times in the interview along with the kid. He looks like he has a mean streak in him as he has those wonky tonk crazy eye balls. The eyeballs that would snap your neck in seconds then quote a scripture from the good book. He then would feed his wild side with some Jack Links beef jerky while petting his son like Dr. Claw and his cat.

My Dad always told me nothing good ever happens after midnight. While my mum always said nothing good happens after last call. For Gareon Conley he was in Cleveland having a grand ole time after midnight, maybe even after last Call. He played for Ohio State and was in town working out for the Browns. He met a gal and then the next day the woman is filing Rape charges against him. The typical life of an NFL player. She says he wanted to have an orgy with his friends. What’s with these athletes wanting to share one woman? I guess she said no and she was raped personally by him. No charges have been filed against Conley. He had been cooperating with the authorities. You get drafted by the Raiders and the world finds out on the same day that you had a night out with a woman and you could of raped her. Does he think maybe she said no but her eyes were saying yes? If he just waited until Oakland moved to sin city. Then he can go hog wild with any of his sexual adventures. He can dress up as Betty Boop and be spanked. Plus then he could say things done after midnight in Vegas stay in Vegas.

Maybe Bolles can help Conley find his way in life with the Mormons or the Jehovah Witnesses. Denver and Oakland play each other twice a year so their paths might cross. It will be interesting how their career unfolds. Can Religion take away the football edge How will they balance that out? Will he snap and go down the wrong path? Will Conley avoid shenanigans after last call.? Will he end up in jail if the girl is right? The Raiders and the Bengals take any kind of projects so he will fit in. As long as neither unleashes their animal wild side and throws a snack sausage at the gas station attendant for not having hot dogs cooking for the after midnight snack.