NEWSLETTER
I’ve been looking for new ways to get my brain going, so I’ve quietly been asking friends for book/reading recommendation. My preference would be for something that doesn’t need to be read on a screen, as I feel as if I spend too much time in front of one as things currently stand. But the most recent recommendation from a friend was a book with a plot that was way too similar to an ex-girlfriend’s origin story … and I wasn’t ready for that at this time.
Perhaps I need to get back into some classics. Any suggestions?
• No, I don’t want to spend the bye discussing the NFL’s officiating hypocrisy. But this is just too much for me to ignore:
This was a legal hit in #CHIvsPIT – the contact occurred while the QB was still in the field of play. pic.twitter.com/SOMk4ibq9H
— NFL Officiating (@NFLOfficiating) November 9, 2021
• The NFL’s official account for officiating really posted a QB getting hit helmet-to-helmet and said “nah, it’s cool … this is a clean play.” Ha! I’m actually laughing. Part of me wants to be surprised. However, I’m old enough to remember that the league went from “Zach Miller’s TD was right to be overturned” to “well, actually, that should’ve been a TD” in 145 days. So I fully expect some league meeting in March to reveal that Minkah Fitzpatrick’s hit above should’ve resulted in a penalty.
• While flags are on our mind, Patrick Finley (Sun-Times) continues to drive home the lack of discipline that is torpedoing the Bears. We’ve been discussing it with some high-profile anecdotes that have been popping up as this seasons has run its course. But some of the numbers Finley unearths are beyond problematic. The Bears have been called for 58 penalties, which ranks 13th. Tack on 511 penalty yards ranking 11th, and it underscores how costly these penalties have been. As does the fact that Chicago’s three taunting penalties are tied for the most this year. I realize that it can be difficult to break some old celebratory habits, but 14 teams don’t have any taunting penalties against them. In other words, it’s not like this is a league-wide problem.
• Then again, how many would have taunting penalties on their record if every officiating staff had the same sensibilities. This is just one of the many issues that comes about when trying to enforce such a subjective rule.
• At least it’s not just Bears fans seeing the injustice in the rules:
#VoiceofREason –> "C'mon man, know the context of the moment!" –@richeisen on the zebra-striped elephant in the #NFL room everyone is talking about from #MNF:#DaBears#HereWeGo pic.twitter.com/6FwpWkz79f
— Rich Eisen Show (@RichEisenShow) November 9, 2021
• Is it just me, or is it weird that the NFL installs end zone cameras that encourage team celebrations while also trying to enforce a taunting penalty? If I didn’t know any better, this whole thing feels like a trap allowing the NFL to have its cake, eat it, then collect fine money at the end of the day.
• When a friend sarcastically sent me a “yay, gambling!” text in reference to the shady officiating in Monday’s game, I chuckled. And then I saw that PFT’s Mike Florio was joking about officials having money on the Steelers before getting serious: “They don’t fix games, but this is the kind of stuff that gives people legitimate fodder for thinking that they fix games. They don’t. But stuff like this makes people think it, plausibly, that the fix is in.”
• Here’s a palate cleanser:
Justin Fields had more high-level throws on MNF than any rookie has had in a single game this year pic.twitter.com/9y6JvJFLw7
— Anthony Treash (@PFF_Anthony) November 9, 2021
This is a good tape for QB Justin Fields.
Made some decisive throws to the 2nd/3rd level. Attacked the edges on boot. Showed his playmaking ability.
Confident & composed late in the game, too. @NFLMatchup pic.twitter.com/Dgx8suqfl5
— Matt Bowen (@MattBowen41) November 10, 2021
• It’s 25 seconds of one big-time throw after another. Justin Fields making gutsy throws in nut-crunching time is what will get me through another harrowing bye week.
• Justin Fields getting a stamp of approval around football circles makes me smile:
https://twitter.com/gnewsii/status/1457925433736015873
Justin Fields might just be that motherf*@%er!!!!!!!
— Sarah Spain (@SarahSpain) November 9, 2021
https://twitter.com/paytonsun/status/1458129988797018114
Setting all else aside from last night’s game, the most important development was Justin Fields being the best player on the field for significant stretches of play. Kid is tough as nails and threaded several tight-window throws with perfect placement. Another big step forward.
— dan durkin (@djdurkin) November 9, 2021
https://twitter.com/GetUpESPN/status/1458099437599854596
• This is the kind of quote from Matt Nagy (via NBCS Chicago’s Alex Shapiro) that makes me believe the head coach is probably happy he had to go away from his Fields development plan earlier than he was hoping:
“The last two weeks his decision-making and timing has been really really good.He’s taking shots downfield, which is great. We’re not hitting on all of them, but when you still take those downfield they can’t sit on ya all the time. But then you get to these moments, these critical parts of the game that you’ve seen in back to back weeks now that he’s making plays. I think what you’re seeing and feeling is a guy who’s getting more and more confident, not just by every game but by every play. The game is getting a little slower for him on defense. He’s seeing things.”
• I’m no quarterback whisperer, but “seeing things” >>> “seeing ghosts.”
• This is a vibe:
https://twitter.com/ChicagoBears/status/1458241771905953795
• For your listening pleasure:
New episode is up! Some excellent #Bears talk worth listening to! https://t.co/bJRHmxhgf6
— Usayd Koshul (@usaydkoshul) November 10, 2021
Bears 27 Steelers 29 – Chicago's rally comes up short, Justin Fields drives & officiating an issue? https://t.co/cdGtsnRCQX
— The Athletic Chicago (@TheAthleticCHI) November 9, 2021
• For the first time in 2021, a college football game at the FBS level is being postponed because of COVID-19 concerns. So if you had plans to kick back and watch Cal-USC this weekend, there is time to make adjustments.
• It would make sense for the Cubs to be involved at some level in the shortstop market:
Cubs Reportedly Among the Teams “At Least Gauging the Market” for the Top Shortstops – https://t.co/HKSonrx1EY pic.twitter.com/UMcFMfygOu
— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) November 9, 2021
• I understand Scottie has books and bourbon to sell, but this ain’t it, Pip:
Scottie Pippen Can’t Help Himself: “I Was as Great a Player as Michael Jordan”https://t.co/xJGxxALELf pic.twitter.com/lYmreHovTG
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) November 9, 2021
• The Hawks aren’t in a hurry to hire a new GM:
Report: Blackhawks “In No Rush” to Hire Next General Managerhttps://t.co/OjPgt2oFYw
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) November 9, 2021
