Getting two tacos and a tostada from my favorite taco place in the city changed my whole mood yesterday. That is, until I realized a window in my bedroom was cracked open when I woke up randomly at 4 a.m. this morning. And since I have no recollection of opening that part of the window, I can only assume my room has ghosts. Please send help.
• Leave it to a basketball-infused nugget to lead me to some Bears thoughts. It all started with me sitting in traffic listening to Charles Barkley’s interview with the Waddle and Silvy Show on ESPN 1000:
#ICYMI @WaddleandSilvy @TWaddle87 @AdamAAbdalla @Jeff_Meller talked to Charles Barkley Tuesday afternoon on @ESPN1000 about #thelastdance and his fractured relationship with MJ. Listen here: https://t.co/2qAhVSCxiV
— Mike Thomas (@mikethomasmt8) May 6, 2020
• That conversation led to this late-night/early-morning Twitter thread that weaves through honesty, the challenges of being critical, finding balance as a fan and someone who writes, and a little bit more. It’s a peek behind the curtain, if you will. Check it out:
I was sitting in traffic, so I had some time to think about what Sir Charles was saying. And in the end, it really resonated with me because I found it applicable to what I do with BN Bears — and specifically, when writing about Mitch Trubisky.
— Luis M., President of the Bryan Mullins Fan Club (@lcm1986) May 6, 2020
When a guy plays well, you should make note of it. Highlight it. Package it up. Share it. All that good stuff. When they play poorly, you should be willing to discuss that they did and how they can get better. Otherwise, you're not doing the job.
— Luis M., President of the Bryan Mullins Fan Club (@lcm1986) May 6, 2020
I just wouldn't bet on it, even if Trubisky at +200 to be the Bears' Week 1 starter is a unique prop bet value.
But that's for a different tweet thread on a different day.
— Luis M., President of the Bryan Mullins Fan Club (@lcm1986) May 6, 2020
• Michael David Smith (Pro Football Talk) points out that Nick Foles is an overwhelming favorite to win the Bears’ starting QB job, at least according to the betting public. Foles is listed as a -320 favorite, which leaves Trubisky as a +200 underdog. That Foles went from a -150 favorite to a -320 after the Bears declined Trubisky’s fifth-year option shows how much faith the public has lost in his chances to win the thing. But if this is a true competition with even footing, then +200 is a tremendous value that I would throw some change on (if I was in a mindset to do some sports betting).
• Even though I think Foles is best positioned to win the starting job, I feel as if Trubisky has a fighting chance. Whether he takes advantage of it remains to be seen. But it’s not as though he doesn’t have athletic talent that could be useful in winning a quarterback competition. It’s just that there are a bunch of little things Trubisky needs to add up in order to get him in a place to maximize his skill set. And while I wouldn’t go as far as to bet the house on those things coming together in 2020, I want to see it play out and see what the guy has now that he is being pushed in the final year of his rookie deal.
• Dan Pompei of The Athletic throws it back to a time in which the Bears could’ve drafted Joe Montana:
Jerry Vainisi took the magnet with Joe Montana’s name on it from the bullpen area of the draft board. He placed it with the Bears’ other picks — Dan Hampton, Al Harris and Ricky Watts. And then Jim Finks spoke. “Put him back in the bullpen,” he said. https://t.co/TTT9parMab
— Dan Pompei (@danpompei) May 5, 2020
• The idea that Joe Montana – the greatest quarterback to ever do it until Tom Brady came along – could have been a member of the Chicago Bears playing with Walter Payton and the greatest defense ever assembled if not for a hunch hurts so much. But that’s how the cookie crumbles.
• I’m not sure if Washington professional football executive Doug Williams is playing a game with revisionist history or speaking from a place of knowledge, but here’s some perspective from the first African-American QB to win a Super Bowl:
Bears declining 5th yr. option on Mitchell Trubisky, QB they chose AHEAD of Patrick Mahomes AND DeShaun Watson. I asked Doug Williams where Mahomes and Watson would have gone if they'd been white: "Ahead of Trubisky," he said. "Ahead of No. 2" I said. "Absolutely," he answered.
— John Feinstein (@JFeinsteinBooks) May 3, 2020
• To be honest, I’m not totally sure where to fall on this matter. Though, I do know one thing is for certain: The Bears have been screwing up drafting a quarterback for a really, really, really long time.
• Allen Robinson with a quarterback who has some semblance of consistency and accuracy would do wonders for his numbers:
Most contested catches since 2018
1. Julio Jones – 43
1. Kenny Golladay – 43
3. Allen Robinson – 40 pic.twitter.com/9EhNKemPgh— PFF Fantasy Football (@PFF_Fantasy) May 3, 2020
Allen Robinson receiving since 2018
247 targets
5 drops pic.twitter.com/mEvCVXr6TR— PFF Fantasy Football (@PFF_Fantasy) May 2, 2020
https://twitter.com/DBrownFF88/status/1257432180441169926?s=20
• I’m still excited about David Montgomery’s potential:
Dr. Michael Tal Risher who is a Chicago Sports Performance Doctor has been training Bears RB David Montgomery.
Dr. Risher posted on his Instagram that he has "never met someone with a desire to be great like David. This man is not ok with good enough, he has to be great."
— Daniel Greenberg (@ChiSportUpdates) May 5, 2020
• Big discounts on various Echo devices at Amazon today. #ad
• The Bears send out thanks to workers on the front lines of the pandemic:
Thank you to all the nurses on the front lines risking their own health & safety to protect us all! We appreciate you.#NationalNursesDay #NationalNursesWeek #ThankYouNurses pic.twitter.com/nRagF1l9kn
— Chicago Bears (@BearsOutreach) May 6, 2020
• Fans of a certain age know the Bulls as a franchise that has fired coaches on holidays. So while Jim Boylen clearly ain’t it as far as what the franchise needs from a head coach moving forward, I can appreciate why they’re waiting this out to make a decision on his future.
• And speaking of possible candidates …
If Mike D'Antoni Hits the Open Market, Shouldn't the Bulls Consider the Very Successful Coach? https://t.co/f9N5u7c3cW
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) May 5, 2020