NEWSLETTER
Little things that are good for your mental well-being: An afternoon walk through the neighborhood. A few steps on a sunny day with nowhere to go, anyone to see, or any place in particular to be. A simple stroll can be so good for the soul. I took one yesterday and feel better than I did all week.
• A message from the Bears on Mother’s Day:
This one's for the moms.
Happy #MothersDay! pic.twitter.com/uQHGArOtlx
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) May 8, 2022
• If you’re reading this, it’s not too late to do something nice for your favorite mom. And if you’re like me, and your favorite mom is living life in the great beyond, my heart is with you today. You’re doing great and making her proud. Just keep that in mind.
• As for the Bears, rookie minicamp chugs along. And one particular area that has my attention is a nugget from Defensive Coordinator Alan Williams, who went into detail to describe the team’s cornerback situation:
"rookie. To be able to stick him in one place and let him go and develop and learn and feel comfortable, right now that's the plan. That's the plan to be determined. I get to change it when need-be if we need to. That's the plan now."
— Courtney Cronin (@CourtneyRCronin) May 7, 2022
• Full disclosure: I’m doing my best not to get caught up in the honeymoon period that comes with a new regime. HOWEVA … I can’t help myself in certain instances. On such instance is when I hear coaches lay out in full their expectations. And in the example above, I’m really into the detail in which Williams goes into when describing what he wants from the slot corner in his defense. Not only is it informative, it is refreshing as heck. It is a mere snap shot, but it represents a full 180 from the previous administration that made it feel like it was necessary for everything to be shrouded in a cloud of mystery. Hopefully, this is a sign of thing to come from the coaches.
• Brad Biggs (Tribune) notes the Bears’ 90-player offseason roster is at capacity. In other words, if someone at Halas Hall who was in town on a tryout made a strong impression, Chicago’s front office would have a decision to make in terms of freeing up a roster spot to bring them on board. I’ll be curious to see if this weekend minicamp led to such an occurrence. Say what you want about where the Bears are right now, but if you’re a player looking to earn your way onto a 53-player roster in September, this team appears to be in a spot where it is open to anyone wow-ing the powers that be.
• Name someone happier than Bears Special Teams Coordinator Richard Hightower, who should be thrilled with how the Bears’ first draft under Ryan Poles’ watch went:
"We like the fact that he has a big leg. He's got good hands. Smart and sharp kid that loves football" – #Bears ST coordinator Rich Hightower on punter Trent Gill.
— Zack Pearson (@Zack_Pearson) May 7, 2022
"athleticism, and we like what he can do what he has the opportunity to do is compete here and see if he can make those things translate that he did in college to the pro level, and we definitely believe that he can."
— Courtney Cronin (@CourtneyRCronin) May 7, 2022
• The competition among the specialists is about to be lit. Sure, the cheese stands alone when it comes to place-kicker Cairo Santos. But the Bears have a punting competition featuring a seventh-round draft pick (Trenton Gill) and an upstart (Ryan Winslow) with prior experience working with Hightower. The return game has a bunch of dudes who could be vying for roles. Rookies such as Velus Jones Jr. and Trestan Ebner stand out, as do returning players Dazz Newsome and Khalil Herbert. Can we fast forward to training camp? Because I’m ready to watch some competitions play out at Halas Hall.
• Those who get it, get it:
"The biggest thing is being coachable." – #Bears OL Braxton Jones on what he wants to show coaches early in rookie minicamp.
— Zack Pearson (@Zack_Pearson) May 7, 2022
• A rookie talking about being coachable is cliché. But clichés become that when they have truth in them. Being receptive to good coaching is a solid first step. And if you can apply when you learn, that is is how one grows. Both in life and on the football field. No doubt this offensive line needs coaching and players willing to take it in order to reach the growth they seek individually, and as a team.
• We’re talking about practice:
Photos from Sunday's #Bears practice. pic.twitter.com/ZWhH1Mj8rq
— Nicholas Moreano (@NicholasMoreano) May 8, 2022
🚧 Rookies at work 🚧 pic.twitter.com/Ld2wEPTXa1
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) May 7, 2022
• A perfect segue into something I’ve been looking forward to sharing for a few days:
Not emphasizing this as much the “practice” part is one of the true injustices in sports media b/c it stripped Allen Iverson, one of the most authentically honest humans — flaws and all — of his own humanity.
Story here: https://t.co/alorMTI1d8 pic.twitter.com/4da37lYhVK
— Justin Tinsley (@JustinTinsley) May 6, 2022
• Justin Tinsley does remarkable work here in telling the full story of one of the most iconic moments in sports history. And that we’re now learning the full scope of everything really puts so much into perspective. I hope you give the above-linked piece a read.
• The Cubs are a tough watch right now, but this swing from Willson Contreras is a nice pick-me-up:
Willson Contreras Smokes One 420 Feet Out to Left Center – https://t.co/Icc7uWSRQD pic.twitter.com/7jyQYiBhaD
— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) May 8, 2022
