Bears must learn from past draft mistakes

With a thin Free Agent market opening on Friday and the 2008 NFL draft right around the corner, Chicago Bears fans are wondering what General Manager Jerry Angelo will address in the draft. Hopefully, Angelo has learned from his past draft mistakes.
Angelo is known for his ability to draft productive defensive players but lacks in drafting productive offensive player personnel. It is said that the best way to learn is to look at the past, so let's take a look at the Bears' previous drafts and the successes and failures of each.
Let's begin our examination of the Bears' draft history when Angelo came aboard. Angelo became General Manager of the Bears on June 12, 2001. Considering Angelo wasn't around for the 2001 draft, we'll start with the 2002 draft.
In the first round Angelo selected Marc Colombo, an offensive tackle from Boston College. At the time it appeared to be a safe move considering the Bears were in desperate need of talented offensive lineman, much like the Bears are now. Sadly enough, Colombo didn't live up to his status of a first round pick and was eventually traded. In the fourth round of the draft, Angelo selected a defensive end from Florida University named Alex Brown. Brown has been one of the Bears most consistent players and has been an alternate for the NFC Pro Bowl team the past two seasons. Brown has recently signed a two-year contract extension. The other notables of the 2002 draft that are still on the team are Adrian Peterson, second string running back, and Terrence Metcalf, second string offensive guard and tackle. So the 2002 draft didn't help the Bears offensive abilities, especially considering not one of their picks through the first three rounds are still on the team. The Bears finished second to last in the entire NFC conference with a record of 4-12. On to the 2003 draft.
Angelo and the Bears had the number four pick in the draft but traded the fourth pick to the New York Jets to get the thirteenth and twenty-second picks in order to draft more players to fulfill their needs. Then Angelo traded the thirteenth pick to the New England Patriots to get the fourteenth pick and a later pick. With the fourteenth pick of the 2003 draft, Angelo selected Michael Haynes, a defensive end from Penn State. Haynes hasn't amounted to anything close that would justify him being a former first round pick and is no longer on the Bears roster. With the twenty-second pick of the first round, Angelo drafted a young quarterback from Florida University named Rex Grossman.
In the beginning of Grossman's career he was labeled "Glassman" for his consistent injury problems. When Grossman finally played an entire season, 2006, he took the Bears to the Super Bowl, but was labeled "turnoverasaurus" by Chicago Sun-Times columnist Jay Mariotti. Grossman has received much criticism during his tenure in Chicago and despite his poor play during the 2007 season; the Bears resigned him to a one-year extension.
Two of the best players on our defense, or that were on our defense, were selected in the 2003 draft. Charles "Peanut" Tillman, named rookie of the year by Sports Illustrated in 2003, was selected in the second round and Lance Briggs, a two-time Pro Bowl linebacker, was selected in the third round. The Bears finished the 2003 season ranked ninth in the NFC conference with a record of 7-9. Things are beginning to improve.
In the first round of the 2004 draft, Angelo selected Tommie Harris, a defensive tackle out of Oklahoma. Harris is a two-time Pro Bowler and is still improving; possibly Angelo's best first round pick since he's been a part of the Bears' organization. Also selected in the 2004 draft was defensive tackle Terry "Tank" Johnson, a second round pick that had talent but couldn't stay out of trouble with the law and is no longer with the Bears, wide receiver Bernard Berrian, a third round pick that has plenty of talent but no quarterback to throw him the ball and is now a restricted free agent, and Nathan Vasher who is a Pro Bowl corner back and still on the team. The Bears took a step backward in the 2004 season finishing fourteenth in the NFC conference with record of 5-11. Back to the drawing board Angelo.
In the first round of the 2005 draft, Angelo selected a running back from Texas University named Cedric Benson. Benson was an all-star player in college but as yet to prove his status as an elite NFL running back. Other notables from the 2005 draft were wide receiver Mark Bradley, a second round pick and currently number one receiver on the depth chart, and quarterback Kyle Orton, drafted in the fourth round and currently the number two quarterback on the depth chart. The Bears took a giant leap toward the success that the franchise had once been known for finishing second in the NFC conference with a record of 11-5. The Bears lost in the playoffs to the Carolina Panthers. A good season Angelo but the team can accomplish more.
The 2006 draft was used mostly for defensive players, most notably second round pick safety and cornerback Danieal Manning; second round pick cornerback and return man Devin Hester, a Pro Bowl return man that set a league record for most combined kick returns for touchdowns with 5; third round pick defensive tackle Dusty Dvoracek, a promising young player that has been plagued with injuries; and defensive end Mark Anderson, a fifth round pick that recorded the fourth-highest sack total by a rookie since 1982 with 12. The Bears topped their 2005 season with an NFC best 13-3 in 2006. The Bears success continued during the playoffs as they fought their way to the Super Bowl only to lose to future hall-of-fame quarterback Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts. The team was there Angelo, but something was obviously missing, perhaps a quarterback.
In the first round of the 2007 draft, Angelo selected tight end Greg Olsen from Miami (Fla.), who will be an electrifying player as soon as a quarterback can figure out how to get the ball in his hands. Other notables from last year's draft were Northern Illinois University running back Garrett Wolfe selected in the third round and hard-hitting safety Kevin Payne from Louisiana-Monroe taken in the fifth round.
So Angelo's history of drafting talented, productive offensive players especially in the first round has not by any means been successful. So with the 2008 NFL draft rapidly approaching, what should Angelo do?
According to ESPN draft analysts, this year's draft class has talent and depth in the offensive line position. Mel Kiper, ESPN's NFL draft expert, has the Bears, with the fourteenth pick, selecting Sam Baker, an offensive tackle from the University of Southern California. If this year's draft class has depth at the offensive line position, why wouldn't Angelo wait for possibly the second and third rounds to select an offensive guard and tackle, both of which the Bears are in need.
Having the fourteenth pick in the draft is a waiting game. Angelo is going to have to wait to see which prospects are taken and which ones are available. If Malcolm Kelly, wide receiver from Oklahoma, is available or wide receiver DeSean Jackson from California is available look for Angelo to snatch either one of those players because the Bears are in desperate need of a playmaking receiver considering the release of receiver Mushin Muhammed and the big-money seeking restricted free agent receiver Bernard Berrian.
We've learned that Angelo has a great eye for drafting talented and productive defensive players especially in later rounds but he has absolutely no vision, Jonathan Quinn vision, when it comes to the offensive side of the ball. Until Angelo corrects his "Jonathan Quinn vision" for drafting offensive players, and until he looks back on his drafting past and learns from it, Chicago Bears fans can be assured that the defense will soar and the offense won't score.

Mike Downey you're a writer not a comedian

This is in response to Mike Downey's piece on Tuesday, February 12, 2008. Mr. Downey's piece, titled: "Winding up for some chin music," beginning on the front page of the Chicago Tribune newspaper and ending on page four, is an inappropriate satirical take of a fictional testimonial transcript of Roger Clemens testimony to the congressional committee, which at the time, was yet to occur.
Through this fictional testimonial transcript, Downey poses fake questions from the congressional committee and fake responses from Roger Clemens. Downey intended on creating a satirical piece on a seriously sensitive issue.
In the beginning of his fake transcript Downey pokes fun of Mark McGwire's and Sammy Sosa's testimonies from a few years back, which also concerned performance enhancing drugs. He proceeds to insult not only Roger Clemens but the congressional committee as well.
Speaking for the committee, Downey writes, "Well, what's this balderdash about you using steroids? I can't see how a big, strong boy like you could be on steroids and not hit even hit one home run, son." And the extra word "hit" is exactly what he wrote. But that's besides the point.
Is it to be understood by readers that Downey, a representative of the Chicago Tribune newspaper, finds the steroid issue comical?
If so, why would Downey take an issue that is tainting all of the sports world and joke about it? Are young athletes to interpret steroids use or any other performance enhancing drugs comically?
If not, than why jab fun at such a sensitive issue by creating a false testimonial transcript?
Near the end of his piece, speaking for the committee and answering for Clemens, Downey writes, "Will the Houston Astros ever win the World Series?" "No." "Will the Boston Red Sox win it again this year?" "Yes." "Is there any way for the Chicago Cubs to win a World Series?" "No, there aren't enough steroids in the whole world for that."
I understand where he is coming from and how tiresome this steroid issue can get, but there is a time and place to relieve fans with comedy and that place is not the Chicago Tribune newspaper. Downey's piece belongs in the Onion newspaper rather than on the front page of a major Chicago newspaper.

FOX wins big broadcasting Super Bowl

By Super Bowl 50 the average NFL fan will most likely not remember which station Super Bowl 42 was broadcasted on but FOX will, merely because the money they produced from the game will still be circulating through the network and its shows. FOX is the big winner with its hand held high (think "Swingers").
So the Giants from New York won the Super Bowl, which in its conclusion seduced nearly 98 million viewers being the second highest viewed television program only behind the legendary television show "MASH."
It was averaged that each 30 second commercial spot during the Super Bowl was worth roughly $2.7 million. Some advertisements worked and benefited from the pricey tag and others didn't. FOX on the other hand had 20 advertisement spots during the commercial break not to mention what they advertised during the actual game. FOX even had a quick advertisement/commercial about how special their radar and weather doppler is. No joke.
So next year when the Super Bowl comes around think about the 2008 Super Bowl and remember: Despite who ever wins the game, the station broadcasting the Super Bowl is and always will be "the big winner." Of course, if the NFL decides to go pay-per-view or on-demand advertisers are going to be killing for commercial time, literally. But that's for another time. For now, don't forget about the 97.5 million viewers and the most watched Super Bowl ever, Super Bowl 42 brought to you by FOX.

O'Neal for Marion...oh yeah and Banks too.

On this date 15 years ago, a 20-year-old rookie for the Orlando Magic played a basketball game at Phoenix and ended up bringing down an entire basketball hoop. That rookie was Shaquille O’Neal and as fate would have it, last night O’Neal was traded to the Phoenix Suns. It was a three player deal in which Miami sent center Shaquille O’Neal to Phoenix for forward Shawn Marion and guard Marcus Banks.
So, who got the better deal? And I hate to disregard Marcus Banks, but the news is O’Neal for Marion plus some other guy. So, Miami with O’Neal have been a half court team with a slower tempo. Phoenix has been a fast tempo team and that’s what Marion has been used to. For the past three seasons, Miami with O’Neal have won one NBA Championship and have been first in their division each season. Through nearly half this year’s season Miami posts a hideous record of 9-38. Phoenix for the past three years has no Championships, but has been first in their division each season winning at least 54 or more games. Despite Phoenix accomplishments in the regular season they always fall short during the post season. Something is obviously missing. As for Miami, they need to forget about who’s in whose “fav five” and just play ball.
Marion has averaged a double-double throughout his nine year career scoring 18.4 points per game and pulling down 10 rebounds per game not to mention the near 40 minutes he plays a game. But the real value for these two teams has nothing to do with statistics, despite Marion being an all around better basketball player than O’Neal. The real value is the speed of the game. Phoenix with O’Neal on the court will have to slow down the tempo. Miami has the ability to speed it up now.
So who will benefit more? Phoenix will benefit from O’Neal’s ability to pass from the low post; also O’Neal is simply a presence. Miami will benefit from Marion’s athleticism, which will allow them to run the court and get easy baskets in transition. I think slowing down the tempo for Phoenix is going to hurt them in the immediate future, but once they get into the postseason after a grueling 82 game season perhaps the best way to win is to pound a team with O’Neal and once they’re tired bench O’Neal and speed up the tempo again. But in the long run, I believe Miami got the better deal because a duo with explosive athleticism combined with experience and unlimited scoring and defensive abilities like Wade’s and Marion’s can lead a team to championships. All Pat Riley needs to do is get the role players.