This week was almost completely devoid of actual NFL news. We got arrests and a few lockout tidbits, and little else......because there is little else happening thanks to the collective ignorance of the owners and the players. But there were a few things that caught my attention, if only briefly.
Follow me to the clearing at the end of the jump to catch my thoughts and to display your own.....
First, say whatever you want about Jerry Angelo's ability to find talent in the draft and beyond. But nobody can knock the guys handle on incoming players character. You're always going to have a few knuckleheads slip through, but for the most part, Angelo has been absolutely fantastic in finding players of high character. Look at the class and compassion displayed by the vast majority of his draft picks and acquisitions. Peanut Tillman, Lance Briggs, Devin Hester, Chris Harris, Julius Peppers, Izzy Idonije, Anthony Adams, Matt Forte and so many others give a sense of real humbleness and purpose that seems to get not nearly enough attention. JT Thomas is just the newest reminder of that. The Bears might not always be the most talented team on the field, but for what it's worth they are usually the classiest.
Another thing that caught my eye was the large number of comments here and around the blogosphere concerning the need for the Bears to grab the best linemen in FA in order to contend in 2011. I cannot, for the life of me, find the logic in this. Sure, Carl Nicks, Lyle Sendlein and Doug Free would be awesome........if the Bears didn't need to spend some money on other positions. The Bears were 8 points shy of a super bowl trip last year with the undisputed heavyweight matador championship team manning the line. Is it really so unfathomable that a league average guard and Gabe Carimi would be enough to solidify that mess and return Chicago to the NFCCG or beyond? Last year would seem to be a case that Chicago was capable of winning it all with 8-year-old ballerinas holding down the fort.
Note to anyone associated with the players or the league: We don't give a damn how many times you say there will be a season. We couldn't give a flying widget whether or not you know we are mad. And we certainly don't want you to patronize us with your hollow words. You want to show us that we (and our money) matters? Get your heads out of your speech writers rosebud, work out an agreement that is fair to all and give us our freaking football! Anything less would be uncivilized.
Speaking of the devils.....What kind of idiots pander to us about understand our pain, then go on and raise replica jersey prices during a lockout? And they say this isn't about greed........D'oh!
The Pressure Reveals article from Pro Football Focus that Lester posted earlier this week was a pure indictment of their system. How is there such a vast difference in their grading between Aaron Rodgers and Jay Cutler. Jay topped Rodgers in their listed metrics for completion %, INT%, change in completion % and QB rating all under conditions of pressure. Rodgers topped Jay in TD% and sack % and they were tied in TD to INT ratio. Yet Rodgers received the highest grade (19) while more than doubling Jay's grade (7). I call shenanigans, and this illustrates why I no longer place as much stock in PFF as I once did. Take a look at the metrics used in this list and explain to me how Rodgers is graded highest with a straight face...... (another illustration of the point would be Peyton Manning, who topped Rodgers in every category except INT% w/pressure and scored 3 points lower than Rodgers at 16)
Those are some of the things that crossed my mind as the week went by. Sound off, my friends. What caught your attention this week? Grab your soap box and tell us about it below!