The Chicago Bulls will enter the 2023 NBA Draft empty-handed. Not only did they lose out on the Victor Wembanyama derby, the Bulls’ pick — 11th overall — is going to the Magic to complete the Nikola VuÄević trade. That deal might haunt Chicago basketball for a while. Congrats to the Spurs, I guess.
- Warren Sharp put together an interesting thread (and accompanying post) on the NFL’s schedule, the amount of rest that was doled out, and who’s winning from this. Check it out:
- The Bears have 12 more rest days than their opponents in 2023, giving them a clear edge in that category. That’s fun on multiple levels. Firstly, as Sharp points out in his post, the Bears are 0-9 overall (and 1-8 against the spread if you want to look for a wagering angle) over the last three years when their opponents have more rest. That number won’t change this year, as the Bears are the only NFL team that will not play a game against an opponent that has more rest than they do. Finally, the Bears catch a scheduling break!
- After seeing Justin Fields’ numbers after the mini-bye last year, I’m convinced that he and the Bears used that extra time off well:
- Another additional bonus to the extra rest time: Our own mental health. Thinking back to some of those games last year had me revisiting moments when I could’ve used an extra breather between games. It’s OK to take a deep breath as a fan. In fact, we should do it more often. After all, deep and mindful breathing is good for the soul.
- Some love for Justin Fields from an old “friend” via Kyle Brandt:
- This isn’t the first time Brandt has sent this message via former Bears Head Coach Matt Nagy:
- I realize Nagy won’t win a popularity contest in Chicago anytime soon. But we could look back on Nagy’s pounding the table for Fields and be thankful he did so.
- This is a really weird tweet (and one that outs you as someone who doesn’t have the type of grasp on the NFL Draft that you might otherwise expect from someone in this position):
- Remember when ESPN’s analytics had Will Levis as a 99% chance to be chosen in the first round and then wasn’t? Contrary to what Barnwell might think, no one is “good” at simulations. And simulations can’t necessarily account for the randomness that is the human element.
- Anyway, ESPN, which employs Barnwell, had Johnson as its RB6 and 84th-ranked overall player. In other words, the Bears getting Johnson with the 115th pick would come as something of a surprise based on the rankings provided by Barnwell’s teammates. This isn’t to say Barnwell’s rankings have to follow the company line. But given the information we have at our fingertips, it doesn’t take much imagination to envision Poles being surprised that a player ranked 84th dropped 31 spots.
- Also, every GM says this about at least one of their picks. How did this guy fall right into our laps? We didn’t see that coming! Sure, some of that might be rooted in reality. But there is part of that message that comes off as an opportunity to gas up one of your own. I suppose that when you’re the Chicago Bears, those messages are amplified to anther level. Maybe it is King Poles’ league after all…
- Josh Schrock (NBCS Chicago) has fun with fan takes and assesses potential overreactions in a mailbag session. A tip of the cap to Schrock for his framing of Gervon Dexter Sr.’s situation. Yes, Dexter has significant upside and could see it unlocked with coaching at the professional level. But he has a long way to go before we’re willing to go out on a limb and put a Chris Jones comp on him. Were the Bears reaching with their first four picks? Not necessarily. Although, there is one selection that stands out to Schrock as checking the “reach” box. Then again, a player can change their perspective by how they play. I’m looking forward to seeing this puzzle come together.
- I’m looking forward to that Bears-Chargers game because it can potentially be a showcase game for Fields and the offense. Over at BN NFL, Patrick asks if the Chargers are ready for the spotlight. In due time, we’ll be asking that about the Bears. Hence, an additional wrinkle in that Week 8 contest.
- That is a painful way to turn a double play:
- The Arizona Coyotes hockey franchise could be on the move: