CHICAGO SPORTS DAILY - Feed

Time to Fire Up Bears Super Bowl Hopes

12/11/2018

Going into Week Fourteen, the Bears have otherwise proven themselves as playoff guarantees for the first time since 2010 while locking down the NFC North title after a 25-20 strangulation of the Vikings. Already this season will go down as one of the purely most enjoyable seasons from the Bears in a long while, but after a steady 15-6 shellacking of the 11-1 Rams, the finest team performance of the season confirms the wistfully hopeful voice in the back of fans heads whispering bonafide Super Bowl contention. All this season, the youthful Bears kept chasing that statement game. A full realization of the on-paper talent and they find a way to pull off a major upset against the league’s elite in order to finally push into the Super Bowl conversation.

It Is Time For the Bears to Prove Themselves

10/19/2018

In the midst of their most successful season since 2012, the rejuvenated Bears still lack a signature legitimacy that the titans of the league have. Though the wins may have piled up early in the season, much of it came from peeping out come-from-behind victories against pushovers like the Cardinals and Seahawks. Considering the numbers indicate a Super Bowl contender, with a point differential on par with the then-undefeated Chiefs over the first quarter of the season, the Bears’ inability to win consistently and leave no room for doubt highlights a fundamental misshift with the Bears-their undeveloped culture.

Trubisky’s Historical Day: Coaching or Play?

10/5/2018

In the midst of a generally disappointing season for a sophomore with foundationally high expectations, Mitchell Trubisky remarkably took Week Four in the NFL by total storm, throwing for a spectacular six touchdown passes. Before this outbreak, Trubisky only had nine total career passing touchdowns. Breaking multiple records in the process, Trubisky etches his name in Bears history for most touchdowns passes in a half and nearly broke Sid Luckman’s league-wide record of seven passing touchdowns in a game. The Bears haven’t seen a quarterback throw six touchdowns since Johnny Lujack accomplished it in 1949.

Bulls Season PReview

9/27/2018

Last Season: 27-55
Notable Additions: Jabari Parker (free agency), Wendell Carter Jr. (draft), Chandler Hutchison (draft)
Notable Subtractions: Jerian Grant (trade), David Nwaba (free agency)
Vegas Over/Under: 27.5

The Laver Cup In Chicago

9/25/2018

The Laver Cup was played this past weekend in Chicago. The United Center was the host venue for the cup. The event started on Friday and ended Sunday. This event is a tennis tournament that travels around the globe to a new location every year. Rod Laver, Australian tennis legend started this event last year in Prague. There are two teams playing in the Laver Cup (Team Europe and Team World). Team Europe consists of Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Grigor Dimitrov, Kyle Edmund, Alexander Zverev, David Goffin, and Jeremy Chardy.

NBA Teams Primed To Breakout In 2018-19

9/3/2018

Though the Golden State Warriors look like near locks for an effortless cruise to a Finals victory once again, the scuffle just below them should be an intriguing follow. The West appears even more crowded than ever with the introduction of LeBron James and the battle royale set to commence for a playoff spot promises must-watch basketball, despite the Warriors unparalleled dominance.

Bears recipe For The Playoffs

9/3/2018

For the first time in years, the city of Chicago has bonafide faith in their beloved Bears. A potential franchise quarterback, a brand new head coach, a doglike defense, everything seems to point up for the Windy City. But, with the too-comforting rose-colored glasses off, the team still will probably be a pretty rocky squad with still a dubious amount of holes, raw and rough around the edges in every way possible. In order to stay competitive, a lot of factors must tip in their favor. So today, let us run down a few of those factors.

Javon Wims Makes Bears 53 Man roster

9/3/2018

In most preseason games, stellar performances from roster-bubble players usually end up swept under the rug, pinning the praise on the opposing second strings that allowed for such an impressive performance. However, in the seventh round rookie Javon Wims’ case, the 114 yard and one touchdown breakout game can’t be discredited as an inevitable.

Chicago Bears Breakout candidates

9/3/2018

It seems that with every season, without fail, unknown scrubs that barely cracked the roster in the first place transform into a premier contributor or a former early round pick finally adjust to the profesional game and prove themselves worthy of that high pick.. Naturally, as the sport of football relies heavily on coaching and system to squeeze production out of players rather than inherent talent, stars align and the NFL treats us with stories like Case Keenum, Todd Gurley, and Nelson Agholor.

Top Ten Db vs. WR Matchups 2018-19

9/3/2018

1.Antonio Brown v. Jalen Ramsey (November 18th)
Great defensive back and wide receiver matchups need to carry both top-tier talent and historical significance. As both the mountain peak of their respective positions, an unmissable Antonio Brown and Jalen Ramsey duel would still land very high on this kind of list. But with last season's AFC Divisional round that saw Brown’s Steelers have their seasons ended in a total shootout to Ramsey and the Jaguars despite a wickedly competitive Brown smoking Jacksonville for 132 yards and two scores, this matchup has to be circled extra on both squads’ schedules. And after Brown named Ramsey “his favorite corner”, the newly budding rivalry between the AFC heavyweights flows through the clash of Brown and Ramsey.

NBA PROSPECTS RANKINGS

5/29/2018

With summer nearly arriving, and with it the draft, here are the top 45 prospects that fans and teams should be familiar with.

Concern-o-meter: How Worried Should the Cavs Be?

5/14/2018

The Eastern Conference Finals and specifically the 2018 Cavaliers in said Finals will an intriguing case study in hardened teamwork and its benefits compared to a singular superhuman basketball entity putting a team on his shoulders. While the first drubbing of the Cavaliers at the hands of the Celtics came through as particularly satisfying, it also blares more alarms than we anticipated after merely a single game.

How the Rockets Can Pull Off the Impossible

5/13/2018

It has been a dream season for the Rockets. Splash offseason acquisition Chris Paul majorly panned out exactly as they had hoped, Harden looks to be a sure lock for MVP after too many years of spiteful snubs, and with the timely emergence of Clint Capela, they ripped the first seed in the West right out of the reigning champions injury-riddled hands. And after making swift work of the Timberpups and Jazz, they get the opportunity go toe-to-toe with the perennial sovereigns Golden State Warriors.

The Dream Is Ending for the Spurs

5/7/2018

Riding the momentum of a Game Four upset over the Warriors, the Spurs felt prepared to repeat the impossible. They felt “more aggressive than previous games”, said Manu Ginobili, and still coached by the wizard who orchestrated the surgical Game Four win Ettore Messina after horrible tragedy of losing Erin Popovich, looked wired to contain the Warrior’s seemingly unbeatable offense.

LOCAL LEGISLATOR HELPS KIDS LEARN LESSONS FROM CUBS BASEBALL, EVEN IN ROUGH DARVISH OUTING

5/5/2018

Though the Cubs were pummeled 11-2 by the Rockies earlier this month, State Representative Thaddeus Jones proved that sports are about much more than just the final score.

Jones, who has represented a number of communities south of Chicago in the legislature since 2011, took matters into his own hands to ensure that students from Ford Heights got to witness their very first Cubs game. Representative Jones brought 150 students - ranging from first grade to high school - on a scenic tour of Wrigley. The kids got to see Wrigley’s outstanding new fan park and take pictures by the Ernie Banks statue before settling into seats on the third base line.

Grading the Bears' Draft

5/1/2018

Another year, another Bears’ draft in the books. With brighter horizons ahead after another stellar draft for Ryan Pace and company, let’s run down and assign some grades to the picks. For this, we will assign a traditional school grade to both the player, defining his talent and potential, and to his value to the Bears, depending on how much the player fills a hole.

Grading the NBA Offseason A year Later

4/26/2018

As with all sports, there is really never an offseason in the NBA and this past summer proved to be more invigorating than the playoffs before it and stakes a claim as arguably the most entertaining offseason in NBA history. Though the Warriors came off such a dominant playoff, this season still brought a little sizzle to it after such a chaotic offseason. Big names dealt left and right, a historically shimmering draft class and a few big signings to boot left a lot of dust to be settled.

Bears 2018 Schedule Unveiled

4/26/2018

Week 1: at Packers — Sept. 9 (SNF)
Week 2: vs. Seahawks — Sept. 17 (MNF)
Week 3: at Cardinals — Sept. 23
Week 4: vs. Buccaneers — Sept. 30
Week 5: BYE
Week 6: at Dolphins — Oct. 14
Week 7: vs. Patriots — Oct. 21,
Week 8: vs. Jets — Oct. 28,
Week 9: at Bills — Nov. 4
Week 10: vs Lions — Nov. 11
Week 11: vs. Vikings — Nov. 18
Week 12: at Lions — Nov. 22 (Thanksgiving)
Week 13: at Giants — Dec. 2
Week 14: vs. Rams — Dec. 9
Week 15: vs. Packers — Dec. 16
Week 16: at 49ers — Dec. 23
Week 17: at Vikings — Dec. 30

Predicting the ALL-NBA Teams

4/26/2018

First Team

James Harden, G, Rockets
Basketball is a game of scoring points and the league has never seen a player so adept at points scoring. Harden is a rare offensive specimen, being able to flat out run an entire offense with the combined court vision and intelligence of a point guard and the scoring and shooting touch of shooting guard. He led the league in points scoring and points per shot of any player with more than ten field attempts while placing top three in assists per game even in sharing the court with the four-time assist champion Chris Paul. He will more than likely bring home MVP and at the same time land a spot on the First Team All-NBA.

Bears' Sleeper Picks

4/26/2018

Drafts are generally never won in the first round and Ryan Pace has made a name for himself in the sleeper game. While his first-round selections haven’t always panned out as he might have hoped (cough Kevin White cough), he has nailed Pro Bowl talent in the later rounds of the draft. Digging up top rusher Jordan Howard and the All-Pro safety Adrian Amos in the fifth round and Week 7 NFC Defensive Player of the Week safety Eddie Jackson in the fourth, Pace has a nose for value in the late rounds.

Bears Biggest Draft Needs : Pre-Draft Edition

4/26/2018

The NFL draft is a magical time that can either fuel playoff runs with a strong crop or completely bury a team bust for bust. With not a single playoff appearance 2010 but a greatly improved roster, the Chicago Bears sit in a dubious spot where one wasted high pick may be enough to prolong the drought. So in order to prepare for the ensuing madness and the potential of the next great Chicago Bear, let’s lay out the Bears’ greatest needs and a few options to cover them.

1.Edge Rush/Defensive End
Best Options: Bradley Chubb (NC State), Marcus Davenport (UTSA), Harold Landry (Boston College)
Pass rushing has quickly become a necessity of a successful defense in years past thanks to the unparalleled dominance of Von Miller and Calais Campbell and the Bears couldn’t be thinner at the position. Pernell McPhee, Willie Young, Lamarr Houston all split, leaving only a raw Leonard Floyd coming off an unfavorable knee injury and a precariously unproven Aaron Lynch to cover the pass rush.

Opportunely, this year’s draft looks to be a rather deep at the edge rush department. Chubb carries many similarities to Myles Garrett, unstoppable in pass rush and run stuff, Davenport has physical gifts on the same plane as Jadeveon Clowney, and Landry has the same power and quick-twitch athleticism as Vic Beasley. All apart of this new wave of freakishly athletic pass rushers, the Bears should be keen to pounce on one of them. Not to mention deeper in the draft rests the risky yet talented couple of LSU's Arden Key and USC's Rasheem Green.

If Chubb falls to the eighth, he would be the steal of the draft. In the event the Buffalo Bills trade up, 4 to 5 quarterbacks realistically could be selected in the top six, including other high profile prospects like Quenton Nelson and Saquon Barkley that could be enough for Chubb to fall. Trading down to mid to late-first round would be enough to land them Davenport or Landry. However, as deep as this draft is in the pass rush class, this need could very well be addressed in the second round with Key or Green.

2.Left guard
Best Options: Guards: Quenton Nelson (Notre Dame), James Daniels (Iowa), Isaiah Wynn (Georgia)
With weaknesses inside the line outside of the consistency of Kyle Long and Cody Whitehair, the Bears should aim for a left guard early in the draft. Especially with Long coming off multiple major surgeries, Pace cannot pass up Notre Dame guard Quenton Nelson if so he remains on the board at the eighth, especially if Chubb is already off the board.

Nelson brings exceptional size and extraordinary power, dominating defensive lineman with both pure technique and brute strength. He possesses all the tools to become a perennial All-Pro guard and while eighth looks a little high for a guard, very little else available at this pick outweighs the necessity of an interior lineman. Nelson would solve essentially every problem at the line (besides tackle) and would flip the offensive line from painfully mediocre to notably strong.

Unless Bradley Chubb plummets or the prospect of Minkah Fitzpatrick becomes too enticing for Pace (more on that later), Nelson would be a key pickup in this draft. The offense primed themselves for a big season after a flurrious free agency and the hopeful notion of a breakout season from Trubisky, only set to collapse on itself if the offensive line struggles or can’t stay healthy again. Nelson would solidify the rocky line and certifies the offense’s legitimacy.

3.Defensive back:
Best Options: Denzel Ward (Ohio State), Josh Jackson (Iowa), Minkah Fitzpatrick (Alabama), Derwin James (FSU)
A comeback season out of Kyle Fuller relaxes the need a little bit but without much behind the freshly resigned Prince Amukamara, holes at the corner spot stand. Safety looks a little more stable, having the All-Pro Adrian Amos and sophomore Eddie Jackson to hold down the fort, but very little dwells behind them. Fortuitously, this draft appears to be a broad class of defensive backs, with a couple of potential gems mixed in.

Fitzpatrick headlines the defensive backs, a freakish athlete combined with doglike intensity. His dangerous combination speed and power enables him to blanket the field in pass coverage and bring the hammer like a linebacker. Equally versatile is James who also brings alpha dog leadership, however, he lacks the elite awareness in coverage and the attack mode in run defense.

For the pure corners, Ward looks to be the finest option with shutdown man coverage with gilt-edged footwork and burst speed. His twiggy frame does hold him back in run defense and against brutally physical receivers, but his supreme athleticism facilitates tight coverage and ball hawk capabilities. Iowa’s Jackson comes a little more raw and inexperienced but boasts incredible ball skills with the length and instincts to notch 27 passes defended in his final season.

In the case that both Bradley Chubb and Quenton Nelson have already been selected by the eighth, there will be a strong chance Fitzpatrick will be up for grabs. With expectations of a quarterback-heavy top five and throwing Saquon Barkley and the aforementioned Nelson in there, the defensive studs will more than likely fall right into the Bears lap. If not Chubb, then Fitzpatrick will be an explosive addition to the defense.

4.Wide Receiver
Best Options:D.J Moore (Maryland), Simmie Cobbs Jr. (Indiana), Christian Kirk, (Texas A&M)
The signing of Allen Robinson and the speedy Taylor Gabriel allows the Bears to fret a little less about the receiver position but the little depth and Robinson’s torn ACL still stands. The question of whether or not he can make a full recovery still lingers and letting Cameron Meredith walk doesn’t leave a lot deeper in the lineup. However, a first or second rounder doesn’t need to be wasted on a receiver, specifically because this draft runs deep with receivers.

The bigger names like Calvin Ridley and Courtland Sutton will be well off the board by the time the Bears address more pressing matters. Therefore, Moore, Cobbs and hopefully Kirk will find a Bears jersey in the mid rounds. The best case would Kirk, a prototypical slot receiver with skillful footwork and steady hands who would fit perfectly in the middle.

Since Robinson and the eminently forgotten Kevin White (stop laughing, it could happen) cover the outside, a hole in the slot still remains. Projected to go in either second or third round, Kirk can’t take precedence over a greater need like edge or defensive back and probably will not fall to the fourth or fifth round where the Bears should target a receiver.

Come third round and guard and edge already handled with nothing exciting left for corner or offensive lineman, he may not be a bad pickup. But with urgencies elsewhere, Moore and Cobbs may fit in the plan far finer. Cobbs has wonderful size and an uncanny ability to win 50-50 balls while Moore brings great YAC potential. With both projected to fall, either one will be available in convenience.

Why Adam Shaheen Will Take the Next Step

4/16/2018

The second round can be a secret stockhold for teams to scrounge up first-round level talent who fall via too many question marks. Whether it be character issues that plagued a college career, unease over lackluster measurables, or concerns over his transition to the pro game, second rounders bring more risk yet the round usually houses the finer sleepers of a draft. So when the Bears selected the tight end out of Ashland Adam Shaheen 45th overall, it felt like Ryan Pace nailed another pick.

What Markelle Fultz’s Return Means for the East

3/29/2018

First overall picks ordinarily arrive into the league rather well-equipped for the NBA landscape. Most have moments of vigor but still have a level of green to them that holds them back, merely using their rookie campaign as a stepping stool to what they will accomplish. Sometimes, players enter the league and dominate from the first tip. Less often are the ones who can’t seem to find their footing and drip out of the league. Whether it be due to health concerns or teams simply giving up on the young lad, busts happen every once in a while. And then you have Markelle Fultz.

Identifying Every NBA Contender’s Biggest Weakness

3/26/2018

As the regular season winds down and the playoffs nearing, let’s run down the biggest weakness for every contender down the stretch.
Eastern Conference

Celtics: Depth Scoring

Why Baker Mayfield is Worth the Risk

3/26/2018

Baker Mayfield ranks as one of the most confusing yet polarizing prospects in recent memory. Some see him worth a top three pick while others believe he’s a trap waiting to spring and that Mason Rudolph (yes, that Mason Rudolph) would be a better and safer selection. Scouts generally don’t bat an eye at the annual Heisman winners and Mayfield is no different.