It always snows the weekend of Cubs Convention. Yes, even when Cubs Convention is cancelled.
• The thing about friendship is that, when you and the group chat get together in person, each of you spends less time on the phone. I mean, that makes sense … right? You’re all together. In one place. Pretty neat. I also notice that when I’m with the homies that one thing we will get on the phone for is betting odds. We’re wagering responsibly, of course. Which leads me to this, which I saw this morning:
I was just browsing through DK’s football props and came across this. Do with this data whatever you please: pic.twitter.com/XMbDWJyUww
— Bleacher Nation Bears (@BN_Bears) January 15, 2022
• The Bears don’t have a GM. And I struggle to envision a scenario in which they hire a head coach before a GM. But it’s the Bears, so I know better than to not consider something weird happening here. Nevertheless, I found myself perplexed looking at these odds. Jim Harbaugh the top-of-the-pops favorite. Leslie Frazier is really up there. Why is Sean Payton even on the board? Generally, I’m a “Vegas knows” guy. Game odds are rooted in statistical trends and an algorithm that cooks up numbers that’ll make people want to bet one way or another. But there isn’t empirical data for coaching hires. It will be interesting to see how this develops. History suggests these numbers will change because they’ll ultimately be driven by public wagering than the actual odds of the Bears hiring Coach X.
• As a general reminder, betting lines are often designed to entice bettors to go one way or another on a wager. In other words, they are built to pique your interest. They are made to make you feel some type of way, nudging you to bet it. It feels like we’re too early in this process to have these numbers attached to these favorites. Chicago’s football team doesn’t even have a general manager. You’d think that would be a logical first step before hiring a coach. There is a real chance this might take a moment.
• Also … please wager responsibly. Don’t bet the farm on Dave Toub just because you love a long-shot underdog who you think should’ve gotten a more fair shake in 2013.
• Jim Harbaugh being the favorite without an interview is one thing. But that Harbaugh hasn’t been asked for an interview anywhere is something else. PFT’s Mike Florio hears no teams have reached out to Harbaugh just yet. And this is important, as Florio notes that all interviews must be reported to the league offices. I can’t imagine the Harbaugh interview process being a long one that drags out. A résumé that includes success at the college and pro levels speaks for itself.
• From a Bears fan perspective, the game to watch today is Bills-Patriots. As Dan Wiederer (Trib) points out, things are lining up for Bills coordinators Brian Daboll (OC) and Leslie Frazier (DC) to interview with the Bears shortly after their game. I suppose we’re rooting for Daboll (and Frazier?) to have great games and “wow” us.
• Adam Hoge (NBC Sports Chicago) makes a pitch for Rick Smith to be the Bears’ next GM. Smith might be the most qualified candidate in this hiring cycle, just as he was during the last spin. His team building efforts in Houston were tremendous. And we’ve seen how the Texans have fallen on hard times since his departure. If it was up to me, I’d probably have tried to lock in a power structure with Smith at the top as soon as humanly possible. But I get impatient like that sometimes. Happens to the best of us, I guess.
• It is interesting that this tweet dropped this morning:
With Brian Flores out in Miami, the chances of the Dolphins pursuing or acquiring Texans’ QB Deshaun Watson are greatly diminished, if not gone, per sources. Flores had an interest in exploring a Watson deal, but others in organization, including owner Steven Ross, did not.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 15, 2022
• Especially when this tweet exists:
Although the Dolphins did due diligence on Deshaun Watson and had conversations with Houston, Miami will not make a trade for the QB, per source. Dolphins’ owner Stephen Ross, who had contingencies that needed to be met for any deal, made the final decision to not move forward.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 2, 2021
• That the tweet dropped less than 24 hours after Brian Flores interviewed for the Bears job raises an eyebrow, too. This feels like awfully convenient timing. Was this one last drag of a former head coach who was in a power struggle with a GM under an absentee owner? Especially when the former head coach interviews with a team that dropped out of the Deshaun Watson sweepstakes after the allegations of sexual assault came out. No one does subterfuge and sabotage like those in the highest positions of the NFL. So, let’s try and keep that in mind as we go through this process.
• I simply can’t shake the connection between Dolphins Owner Stephen Ross (a mega-Michigan booster) and Adam Schefter (a high-profile Michigan alum who has a major media platform). It’s a strange time to drop this change of heart from the Dolphins. Convenient timing, too, if you consider the post-firing fallout.
• A worthwhile read from a team of ESPN NFL insiders breaking down this stage of the NFL coaching cycle. It’s an ESPN+ piece, so I won’t dive in too deep. But Jeremy Fowler hears from folks around the league that Doug Pederson might bring Matt Nagy with him as an offensive coordinator and play designer. I don’t imagine that was part of Pederson’s pitch when he was interviewing with the Bears earlier in the week. But maybe if Pederson signs off elsewhere, a tandem that did well in Kansas City could team up again in a place that isn’t Chicago.
• Part of me hopes Nagy is sincere in feeling this way. And part of me thinks that – had he thought this way before his job was in peril – he could’ve made adjustments in time to save himself:
"I had a great time in Chicago. I'm going to use every bit of it to make me better, to learn where I went wrong and to help myself for maybe another opportunity."
– Matt Nagy earlier today on @610SportsKC
— Matt Eurich (@MattEurich) January 14, 2022
• This intriguing connection is one Bears fans should keep in mind, especially with Todd Bowles being on their potential wish list:
The Wilf family that owns the Vikings is from Elizabeth, N.J.; Bowles is from Elizabeth, N.J. https://t.co/v0FkFiUIDV
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 15, 2022
• I see the Vikings are finally awake from their slumber:
The #Vikings requested an interview with #Packers OC Nathaniel Hackett for their head coaching job, per source.
A busy bye for Hackett, who had #Jaguars on Friday, has #Broncos and #Bears today and now Minnesota likely on Sunday.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 15, 2022
Vikings requested permission to interview Cowboys’ OC Kellen Moore for their HC job, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 15, 2022
The #Vikings put in a request to interview #49ers DC DeMeco Ryans for their head coaching job, per source.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 15, 2022
• One former Bears assistant should have his pick of the litter when it comes to job openings for special teams coordinators:
#Bears were 7th in Football Outsiders special teams rankings this season and rolled through a ton of players in that phase with some significant injury losses. Stands to reason Tabor is an assistant coach who will have options.
— Brad Biggs (@BradBiggs) January 15, 2022
• Can you believe I didn’t even consider T.O. being in Chicago to make a pitch to catch passes from Justin Fields as WR1?
Is he here for GM or coach interviews? pic.twitter.com/M1QrMolYxg
— Bleacher Nation Bears (@BN_Bears) January 15, 2022
• Who wouldn’t want to add a Hall of Fame receiver to the roster?
• If MLB gets its act together and pushes through a CBA everyone can agree on, the Cubs and Orioles are set to play a two-game set June 7-8. And I would like to be there in person to see this wall with my own eyes:
The Orioles Are Significantly Changing Their Left Field Wall and It Is Bizarre – https://t.co/2uOBO4XkEj pic.twitter.com/hvOyNH1tV3
— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) January 14, 2022
• Hockey prospect chatter:
Chicago Blackhawks Mid-Season Prospect Check-Inhttps://t.co/ANjRHiq0M8
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) January 14, 2022
• There is cautious optimism after Zach LaVine checked himself out early from Friday’s Bulls-Warriors game.
• My friend has a podcast that I’m looking forward to being a guest on. For now, listen to the first episode here:
And we’re live! Join me as I sit down to grab a drink with @LaurenceWHolmes of the “House of L” podcast and voice on @670TheScore in Chicago!
We chat about what we’ve been doing the last two years, how/why we started podcasting, and more. LISTEN NOW! https://t.co/EvigppUZBY pic.twitter.com/8xuHv4aVkh
— Grab a Drink with Cat Garcia (@grabadrink_pod) January 11, 2022