2014 NBA Draft Picks: "Ay Where All the Rookies At?!"

 It's the very look I have whenever I watch an NBA game featuring one of the many outstanding rookies. And no, it's not a face of shock. Just awe.

The 2014-15 NBA season is steadily under way and is showing potential to be another outstanding season of competition surprises, and big time plays. One thing I just realized is that this year's NBA draft picks aren't grabbing the spotlight like others have the past few years. I mean seriously. Where are the highlights of Andrew Wiggins and Jabari Parker owning it up in the league? Where is Aaron Gordon's highlights of just what a dominate force he is down low? I don't want to judge being so early in the season and understand that this is their first year, but is there anyone from that draft class that is making thunderous noise?

If you remember 2011, then you know that those rookies really found a way to stand out. Kyrie Irving stepped into Cleveland as the No. 1 pick and played like it. Although traded from the Pistons to the Bucks, Brandon Knight still made noise in the season after being the No. 8 pick. Golden State knew something that some did not when they got Klay Thompson at No. 11 who stepped up coming off the bench and has done nothing but grow since. Denver got the master slammer Kenneth Faried at No. 22 who continues to sore above the rim every other play. Chandler Parsons was a second round pick by Houston, but light up the air with beautiful jump shots and impressive defense. And 2011 NBA Draft's "Mr. Irrelevant" (Not really called that, but he was the last pick) was Isaiah Thomas (Not the Hall of Famer who was with Detroit) who came out of Washington at 5'9" and was selected by Sacramento, yet outplayed the team's No. 10 pick Jimmer Fredette and showed a style for his size I had only seen in Nate Robinson (current 5'7" guard from Washington for the Nuggets) and some highlights of Spud Webb. And those are just the names from 2011. One that stood out above all others was 76ers' guard Michael Carter-Williams who won Rookie of the Year last season after shocking the league with his ability to play offense and defense all over the court. 

So lets take a peek into how some of this year's NBA rookies are doing so far in the season, shall we?

No. 1 Draft Pick: Andrew Wiggins

Position: Guard/Forward

Team(s): Cleveland Cavaliers/Minnesota Timberwolves

First Take: Everyone saw that Cleveland was leaning one of three ways while having the first pick in the draft: Andrew Wiggins of Kansas, Joel Embiid of Kansas, or Jabari Parker of Duke. And like many guessed, the Cavaliers selected 19 year old Wiggins. So before the draft and even before he had picked a college, there were some calling the top recruit in the country a "high school phenom like LeBron James" which I laughed at because while I do not like LeBron James, I respect that no one has ever come into the NBA out of high school like James was able to do. So once Wiggins went to Kansas, this "phenom like LeBron James" was showing style and skills that made me think that he could play in the NBA. While he did average 17 points/game, Andrew Wiggins seemed to me to be scoring a lot of his points on fast break dunks, layups, and some jumpers when he was wide open. It's not like it's a bad way of getting work done, but if you're compared to James, I would expect a lot more from your game. Along with fellow Jayhawk freshman center Joel Embiid and sophomore forward Perry Ellis, Wiggins helped Kansas reach the NCAA Tournament as the #2 seed in the Southern Regional only to lose to Stanford by 3 in the second round.

NBA: Once Andrew Wiggins was drafted, had played on the Cavaliers summer league team, and shown his ability, word came about that he would be traded to Minnesota with fellow Canadian and last year's No. 1 pick Anthony Bennett, former 76ers forward Thaddeus Young, and some cash for Minnesota star player Kevin Love. Minnesota president and head coach Flip Saunders probably did "flip" after landing the rookie despite losing the team's best player since I would say Kevin Garnett. Saunders also said in an interview with CBSsports.com that he saw Wiggins as a "young Paul George" which is much more on the money.

The Timberwolves seem a little disoriented after losing Kevin Love in the trade that brought Wiggins there. Other than Wiggins, Minnesota also have centers Gorgui Dieng and Nikola Pekovic, fellow rookies guard Zach LaVine and forward Glenn Robinson, veteran shooting guard Kevin Martin, guard/forward Shabazz Muhammad, point guard Ricky Rubio, and also forwards Thaddeus Young and Anthony Bennett that came with Wiggins as mentioned before.

The Timberwolves are now eight games into the season, and Andrew Wiggins has started all eight while showing off his skill and speed on the court. However, a look at his stats (seen below) and they are not really numbers that I would associate with the top pick in the draft. As good as people have made Wiggins sound, you'd expect this kid to be averaging at least 18-20 points/game. But I will throw him credit where for maintaining a field goal percentage over 45% along with a three point percentage of just over 55% (though he has only taken 9 shots from long range). If Andrew Wiggins works on free throws and getting a little more muscle mass on his body, he could turn out to be that "phenom" that people were mentioning before.

Andrew Wiggins' Current Stats: 8 Games Played

Minutes/Game- 27.4

Points/Game- 11.3

Rebounds/Game- 3.4

Assists/Game- 0.9

Turnovers/Game- 2.1

Field Goal %- .473

3 Point %- .556

Free Throw %- .625

No. 2 Draft Pick: Jabari Parker

Position: Forward

Team(s): Milwaukee Bucks

First Take: Like me, Jabari Parker is an Illinois and Chicago native. Unlike me, he stands 6'8" and could dunk when he was since grade school (so I've heard). I only met him one time when I was in my first year of college decided to go see a Simeon Academy and was only to say, "Man, you had a heck of game out there." That game was enough to tell me that this kid was Chicago's next rising star. Parker eventually became the nation's top recruit after dominating year after year in this state. The last man that held that achievement for the state and Simeon Academy was Chicago Bulls' guard Derrick Rose.Parker eventually decided to commit to Duke University where he would be coached by fellow Illinois native Mike Krzyzewski. After that, he slipped to down to the second top recruit underneath Andrew Wiggins. Once Parker left for Duke, everyone knew what was going to be coming next: leading Duke to a championship. Jabari lead the team with 19 points/game, grabbed 8.7 rebounds/game, and was even able to manage a block and a steal per game. The combined talents of Parker and fellow sophomore forward Rodney Hood were able to land Duke the #3 seed in the Midwest Regional of the NCAA Tournament but were surprisingly upset by the impressive Mercer Bears.

NBA: During the NBA Draft, I really thought that Jabari Parker would be the man called first as he demonstrated a much more well rounded game that seemed much more similar to LeBron than Wiggins' game did. But once Wiggins name was called, it was the Milwaukee Bucks that had the next pick in the draft who was looking for an instant impact to help bolster the team after a humiliating season. In comes Jabari Parker to save the day. After losing guard Monta Ellis after the 2012-13 season and then trading guard Brandon Jennings to Detroit in 2013, Milwaukee hit one of their lowest points ever. however, Parker may be just the answer that changes things around for the team.

Along with Parker, the team drafted Greece's 6'11" (then 6'9") guard/forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (seriously, that's what he's listed as), got Pistons' guard Brandon Knight when they traded away Jennings, and signed guard/forward O.J. Mayo from free agency. So far, things seem to be looking good for Jabari in the cheese state. The Bucks have played nine games up to this point with Parker in the starting lineup every game.

So how are the numbers looking? Well... lets just say he made need to find his way a little more. Just from looking at his stats (seen below), Parker actually looks worse than Andrew Wiggins. Mostly due to the fact that Parker is barely hanging onto a field goal percentage of about 42% and has only hit 3 of 12 three pointers to give him a 25% from three point range. And what is really surprising is that this kid was as solid of free throw shooter as you could ask for in high school and college, but his pro career so far has him sitting at just 53%? I mean I still got love Jabari, but I expected and still do expect this to be the one that wins Rookie of the Year. But if this is how it's going to be all season, it'll be a hard climb to greatness. Hopefully, Parker came get in the mode and start making buckets drop all over the court while challenging everyone who tries at the basket. Plus, being the same division as the Bulls and Cavaliers will create some interesting games.

Jabari Parker's Current Stats: 9 Games Played

Minutes/Game- 28.7

Points/Game- 10.3

Rebounds/Game- 5.6

Assists/Game- 1.0

Turnovers/Game- 1.9

Field Goal %- .418

3 Point %- .250

Free Throw %- .533

{More rookies will be coming soon over my next posts}

U.S. Men's Soccer Team: Why World Cup is Out of Reach (For Now)

It'll be four more years till we see another World Cup take place in the game of soccer (and it is the original football for those who do not know). But already, countries are squaring off against one another in matches across the globe for a chance to qualify and also just for experience. One thing that always gets me is how so many in the United States never realize when the World Cup is coming, but once it's here, people throw on their best gear of red, white, and blue to support the U.S. national men's team. Living in Illinois, I saw things go from just another ordinary life to people cheering and shouting, "I believe!... I believe!... I believe that we will win!" and then repeating it over and over. Here's the kicker (pun intended) for everyone and it's just reality: Team U.S.A. will not be seeing the World Cup any time soon.

Now I get that there will be some of you saying that I am not a "true american" and that I am being disrespectful or something along those lines, but it's fair to say so because of the lack of results I have seen. Yes, they do win matches and show a strong sense of play. It's just that there are more factors that are against them then benefiting them.

One big reason for the team insufficient success has got to be the lack of support that americans have for soccer. And when I say support, I do not mean playing FIFA on your Xbox or Playstation. Honestly, how many people can say they have sat down and watched a full soccer match? How many more can say they've at and watched it live? Although I do not know the exact numbers, it can't be very many when you think about the hundreds of millions that live in this country. For those that may not know, a normal soccer match has two 45 minute halves that total 90 minutes along with whatever extra time might be added at the end due to stoppage from injuries and penalties. When you playoffs and cup matches, two overtime halves of 15 minutes a piece (30 min. total) may be added onto the 90 minute regular time when the game is tied which then brings the total to 120 minutes. But wait, if it is still tied by the end of overtime, then we head into final stage known as penalty kicks (England's worst nightmare!) which will go on forever until someone is able to score or the keeper is able to stop it. 

Now imagine that you went to a game, sat in the stadium, and saw such a game unfold. Fans around the world would say how it was such a spectacular game. Most americans would've probably left after the first half or fallen asleep. For me, I actually enjoy watching the games and will sit down for 90+ minutes to see the match play out. Granted, I don't know everything about the game, but I have enough knowledge to understand the basics of what is happening. 

But I do not watch Major League Soccer (yes, we have professional soccer in the U.S.) because of how different the style of play is on the pitch (field), which is my second reason right there. Some of you are probably thinking, "What is he talking about? It's not different. it's all just kicking a ball." Well, you're all wrong. See, each country has a specific style of play that it focuses on. In just about every game I have watched that features a team from Europe, the play on the pitch is just a perfect combination of elegance, strategy, and force. Dominant forces like Manchester United, Chelsea, Barcelona, Real Madrid (my favorite!), Juventus, A.C. Milan, Bayern Munich, PSG (Paris Saint-Germain), and others are so well equipped that I feel the U.S. national team would be well out-matched in those games. It's not to say U.S. would not put up a challenge, but over these passed two World Cups I have witnessed, the squad has always seemed to play back on their heels and be more keen about playing defense instead of pushing forward and attacking the net. I understand that Howard had a World Cup game where he made a ton of saves, but what does that say about the rest of the squad when he has to be the man of the hour? In all honesty, it's not the way World Cup champions should look.

Why is that? Because of reason three: Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and Central and South America all consider soccer to be their nation's sport. They are so dedicated to it and being dominate in the sport, that they have clubs set up to teach kids the sport from the time they are born so that they can be signed by a big-name team's youth squad or academy around the age of 10 or so. I swear, it's true! Kids are signed young so that the team can grow them into the kind of players they are looking for, which is something that the U.S. does, but not with the type of passion that England, Spain, Brazil, Germany, Italy, and others have done every year. 

And it shows well when you have Brazil holding the record with 5 World Cups while giving soccer legendary players like Didi, Carlos Alberto, Ronaldinho, Zico, Ronaldo, Garrincha, and of course Pele.

Then you got Germany and Italy both tied at 4 wins each. Italy has graced football history with legends like Gianni Rivera, Gianluigi Buffon, Giuseppe "Peppino" Meazza, Fabio Cannavaro, Roberto Baggio, Paolo Rossi, and Dino Zoff. Meanwhile, Germany have given big names to the game as well with players like Miroslav Klose, Paul Breitner, Jurgen Klinsmann (current head coach for U.S.A.), Sep Maier, Lothar Matthaus, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Gerd Muller, and Franz Beckenbauer. 

Spain and England both have one it only once. England grabbed theirs in 1966, and although they have never been back since, they have put out legendary names like Alan Shearer, Stuart Pearce, John Barnes, Wayne Rooney, Michael Owen, Steven Gerrard, Gary Lineker, David Beckham, Peter Shilton, Bobby Moore, and Bobby Charleton. Spain however, won their title 4 years ago in 2010 and have given the world players like Andoni Zubizarreta, Emilio Butrageuno, Afredo Di Stefano, David Villa, Andres Iniesta, Xavi, Raul, and Iker Casillas.

Now some (or none) may not be recognizable by americans, but believe me that these are just a few names from these few countries that have become iconic for winning and playing the game like no other. But don't worry because the United States has a collection of talented players like Demarcus Beasley, Tim Howard, Alexi Lalas, Thomas Florie, Cobi Jones, Claudio Reyna, Paul Caligiuri, Jozy Altidore, Clint Dempsey, Adelino Gonsalves, and the great Landon Donovan. Again, some names we know well while others are unknown, but we do have our players as well. But our best finish in the World Cup came in our first year ever in 1930, finishing tied for third place with Yugoslavia.

However, it must be said that players like Howard, Donovan, and Altidore may not be where they are at without the help signing with clubs across the Atlantic. yes, they are U.S. born citizens that play on our national team, but their skills may not have been so finely tuned if they would have stayed here in the United States where the MLS competition is nothing compared to La Liga or Premier League. We know Tim Howard is probably this nation's all-time greatest keeper and started with the New Jersey Imperials and then MetroStars, but the thanks needs to go to Manchester United and Everton in England for giving him the right coaching to hone his craft. Clint Dempsey is an all-american Texas guy who got his start with the New England Revolution, but Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur in England is what really made him the player we know and love. Jozy Altidore started off like the others by playing two year in New York before eventually moving to Villarreal in Spain for a couple years, and then bouncing between three different clubs until he landed in AZ in the Netherlands. And then there is Landon Donovan whose career started with Bayer Leverkusen but was put on loan to San Jose for four years, which eventually lead to his move to the L.A. Galaxy where he has spent almost his entire career. However, Donovan did see time in Germany with Bayern Munich in '09 and then Everton in '10 and '12. So what's my point? Pretty much that the United States is not the best place to develop World Cup players, so those that are deemed fit to wear the kit are allowed to leave and learn how to play the more fast paced game in Europe.

These may not seem like shocking or eye-popping reasons why the U.S. men's soccer team will not see the World Cup for some time, but they are real and they are what is keeping us down around the level of just being able to squeeze by teams. Maybe one day, we'll have a squad of players that have all gained some type of international teachings and be able to finally pull it all together. Maybe one day, We will be able to say that the U.S.A. has captured the World Cup. One day perhaps, but who knows how old I'll be or if I'll even be around then. From where I stand now, we still have a good squad with an excellent coach. Right now, it's just a matter waiting and hoping that some time soon it'll all click and put us in a good spot to win it all.

It'll be a Love/Hate Season for Chicago Blackhawks Fans

If you watch hockey or live in Chicago, then you obviously know about who the Chicago Blackhawks are. From the time the franchise hit the ice in 1926, the Blackhawks have captured five Stanley Cups, three conference titles, fifteen divisional titles, and two Presidents' Trophies (team with the best record of the season). All very impressive when you combine it with the great names of those who have worn the read and black sweater throughout their careers; Eric Nesterenko, Troy Murray, Tony Amonte, Ed Belfour, Pit Martin, Keith Magnuson, Dennis Hull, Jeremy Roenick, Chris Chelios, Doug Wilson, Steve Larmer, Tony Esposito, Denis Savard, Glen Hall, Pierre Pilote, Bobby Hull, and Stan Mikita. Just a few of the many names that have come through this franchise over the years.

Taking a look at this years, we see the stars like Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith, Patrick Sharp, Marion Hossa, Brad Richards, Brent Seabrook, and (I guess) Corey Crawford getting primed for another run at making the playoffs and getting to the finals. Out of all those listed for this season, six of them have one it twice with the Hawks, Crawford was the winning goalie in 2013, and although Brad Richards has not won a Cup it with the Blackhawks, he did win one in '04 with the Tampa Bay Lightening so he knows what it takes to get to the top of the mountain. Basically, they have everything in place this year to have made themselves an automatic favorite to take back the crown that they almost were able to recapture last season. And while I do cheer and hope that the Blackhawks can win the Stanley Cup this season, I feel this sense of uncertainty looming over the team right now as the season begins to get underway where feelings will sway between fans between feeling that they must watch and it is not even worth troubling themselves over it.

The feeling started awhile back when the Blackhawks made the announcement of signing star forwards Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews to their new contracts. How much for how long? Both players got contracts worth $84 million over eight years! I say again: BOTH players got that contract! What?! These two guys are worth a total of $168 million?! I couldn't believe it at first, but thinking on it made me realize that these were two keys components for us to have if we wanted to stay competitive like we have been since they both hit the ice in the '07-'08 season. But still, the money just seemed like way too much for one guy. And then to go and double that to the other guy also seems like a really bold move. I did not want to say it, but in my mind, all I could think about was how that decision to sign them both to such huge deals would spell "problems" for the team and the franchise.

The team looked solid in it's first five games with a 4-1 start. but then my thinking of "something is coming" grew more when I saw the team play against the Anaheim Ducks. in the game, Chicago fired the puck 38 times at the net with three power play opportunities and won 34 of 56 faceoffs. So while the stats say one thing, the play on the ice said a whole other thing. Basically, the Hawks had that look of a competitive team, but something seemed to be missing. It was like there was a lack of chemistry on the ice with some bad passes, poor shot choices, and showed very little aggression on defense. Of course, we have to give some credit to Anaheim goaltender John Gibson as he blanketed the net for the shutout along with a strong showing from the Anaheim defense after outhitting the Blackhawks 37 to 16 all over the ring. But the bad passing in breakaway moments and poor shot choices in one-on-one situations combined with the Ducks ability to skate with speed and strength is what led to the Hawks' loss.

It grew even worse when they were visited by the Winnipeg Jets. Now this team is not anywhere near the talent that the Anaheim Ducks are at (in my opinion), but somehow Chicago was not able to make it happen and lost to the Jets 1-0. Once again, the Blackhawks showed off their stuff with 33 shots on goal, two power play chances, and won 33 out of 57 faceoffs. And once again, the Blackhawks made the same mistakes as they did against Anaheim, including getting outhit 26 to 16 against the Jets. They also aloud former teammate winger and current Jets' captain to assist on the only goal scored by Michael Frolik to add some lemon juice to the cut. So yes, Winnipeg's goalie Michael Hutchinson gets props for shutting out the Hawks with the combo of hardened defensive play, but if more solid plays would have been better executed by Chicago, then maybe we wouldn't have had to endure a second shutout.

So here's the deal: giving Toews and Kane that money was an unnecessary burden to the organization. It's not that they don't deserve it. After all, these two did get Chicago to the playoffs six out of the last seasons since they arrived in 2007. The issue is that their are others that helped them get there six out of seven times. After last year's negotiations, the NHL salary cap is at $69 million this season. The Blackhawks are sitting on a payroll that has them about $100,000 under the cap, including $60,000 penalty for going over the limit last season. They also have to consider that next season, seven players from the main roster will become free agents.

The Seven: Centers- Brad Richards, Marc Kruger, Peter Regin
                    Wings- Brandon Saad, Daniel Carcillo
                    Defensemen- Mike Roszival, John Oduya

There are others that are also associated with the teams semi-pro teams that will be free agents as well, but these names are the ones on the main roster that have shown to have an impact on the team and may not want to take a less because the Hawks can't afford it. Now it is worth mentioning, Oduya, Roszival, and Richards are over 30 years old and could be on there way out of the NHL. Along side them might possibly be winger Marion Hossa, who at 35 years old is still able to look like the hard-nosed scorer we got back in '09. I'm not saying he can't play anymore, but once any athlete is over 30, the thoughts of retirement begin to float around in the air. But the point here is that with Kane and Toews about to receive some serious coin for the next couple of years, it'll be really hard to keep this team all together that has done some incredible things together.

Also, I believe the contracts/salary cap issue I have can be connected to the lack of play in those two games along with some of the other games that they have played and not looked their best. Why is that? Simply because some players are probably worried if they will be with the team next year or possibly the end of this season. This worrying about whether or not they will be in Chicago causes cracks in the chemistry cement that cause the team to begin to stumble and look out of sync. And can you blame them? I mean I understand that Patrick Sharp is a loyal guy and he is no young pup, but he is not stupid and knows that if the Hawks can't afford him along side Toews, Kane, and also Duncan Keith's $72 million deal, then he'll probably get traded away to like the Rangers or Montreal (just spitballing names). And speaking of Keith, he too may find himself on the market for those teams looking to take the 31 year old defenseman and his large contract. However, Keith is a long shot. But his partner in crime on defense, Brent Seabrook, may not be as he is starting to look like he's struggling every now-and-then yet continues to play quick on defense and show a knack for scoring from long range. Although I would hate to see any of these four players go and may not considering what happens with the free agents, these four are the ones that make the most sense I feel because one or two of those contracts would clear up a lot of cap space and they are all still at a point where they are considered highly valuable, meaning the trades would bring Chicago a bundle of talent. But the concern is about getting team chemistry back together (if it is lost) in order to have much better production on the ice and start getting back to 10 or 20 game winning streaks.

Like I said, the Chicago Blackhawks have all the pieces and talent on the team to make it back the Stanley Cup Finals and bring home number three. There is no "definitive" problem that we can see out in the open or are hearing whispers about from those in the organization. I just can not help but feel that seeing this team starting out strong and end up 6 losses and an overtime loss at this point is not how championship team should be starting out. But we are only scratching the surface of the season, so perhaps I will be proven wrong. I really hope I am, but all I can say right is: hang onto your hats ladies and gents cause we are in for a heck of a ride.

Bought myself a Lambo, Found it was a Lemon

As any human being does, I often find myself daydreaming and dreaming at night about being rich and buying my own high-priced sports car. So why don't we talk about that dream. You have hit the lottery, your bank account his stacked with money, and so you decide that you want to buy yourself a new flashy toy to drive around town and show off. You head over to the import car dealership and talk to the dealer who owns the dealership about what you are looking for today. He calls over his best salesman, who shows and tells you about buying the 2014 Lamborghini Aventador. The men tell you how much it cost (actual average cost: $420,000), but with money no longer being a problem for you now, you simply just smile and say, "I'll take it!", fill out the paperwork, and grab the keys so you can take off in your new hot ride. After a few weeks (lets say 8 weeks for example), you return to the dealer with your car attached to a tow truck and begin to complain to the dealer and salesman that they sold you a faulty car that has parts that are not working right and seem all out of sync. Whoa. That dream started off great and then just ended as a nightmare. Thank god it is just a dream.

Or is it???

You don't know it yet, but the dealer who owned that dealership was Chicago Bears' General Manager Phil Emery. And that so called "best" salesman? That's right. It was Bears head coach Marc Trestman. Together they suckered you into buying this beautiful looking, high powered, sexy sports car that is called the 2014 Chicago Bears football team. What they failed to do was show you that this particular sports car actually had quite a few faults with the engine not performing up to par, wheels keep falling off, and other parts just seeming to get damaged in the dumbest ways. Of course, those parts are supposed to represent the players if you didn't get it yet. So ladies and gents, welcome to the nightmare.

Unfortunately, it has become a nightmare come true for the fans of the Chicago Bears as the team heads into this Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers after having a week off to look around and see that everything with this team is not, as Aaron Rodgers would say, "G-R-E-A-T" this season. With the Bears now sitting at 3-5 in the first eight games of the season, one can only wonder just what will come next for the team with just eight more weeks left in the schedule. It is hard to say right now, but after the humiliating 52-31 loss against the New England Patriots, I think it is safe to say that a similar experience will be felt this Sunday at Green Bay.


So going back to the dream, the problems that were found with the car were things like the engine not performing up to par. An just who do you think those players could be? I know some may think that I mean the whole team. But I don't in this case. First, there is the "elite" starting quarterback Jay Cutler. Please! The most elite thing about this guy is the money he is getting paid (that would be $127,000,000 for seven years) for his barely average stats of 17 touchdowns and 8 interceptions through the first eight games. At the price tag we put on him, he should be firing touchdown passes every one in nine passes when you consider that he averages about 36-37 passing attempts per game. So that would mean that Cutler should have, at least, 4 touchdown passes a game which would put him around 30 touchdowns threw eight games this season. But that couldn't happen because Cutler continues to try to thread needles that aren't there, overthrow his targets, and make bad choices in the red zone. It's like showing that dealer and salesman that the sports car's engine is clearly not working right, but all they have to say is, "No, it's suppose to do that now. We promise it'll get better over time." Well I'm gonna be honest here, I think it's time to buy a new engine in this case. 

Another player not performing is wide receiver Brandon Marshall. Last year, Marshall teamed up with fellow wide out Alshon Jeffery, tight end Martellus Bennett, running back Matt Forte to help set team records for most total yards (6,109), most passing yards (4,450), most passing touchdowns (32), and most first downs (344). This year, the Bears will be lucky if they have any receiver finish with 1,000 yards. If you look at Brandon Marshall's stats through the first half of the season, they are so shocking that it it is scary. Marshall currently has just 34 receptions for 384 yards and 5 touchdowns. Some Pro Bowl wide out we have. Just knowing how good Marshall really is and could be, his stats should be around 50-60 receptions for at least 800 some yards while scoring 7-8 touchdowns. It's strange that everything seemed fine and to be the start of something great until he decided he wanted to appear on his own show this year. Also, I hope he realizes how humiliating it is to see a star wide receiver like him have less receptions than the team's current receptions leader running back Matt Forte, who also have 100 more receiving yards than Marshall so far.

And to round off the offense, we have starting running back Matt Forte. So for Forte, I have to note that I believe he is the biggest factor in saving the Bears' offense from becoming almost non-existent. However, he is also one of the reasons why it has not been able to jump out of the gate like we all were hoping to see. So far this season, Forte has 130 carries for 562 rushing yards and scoring 3 touchdowns whilst also grabbing 58 catches for 490 receiving yards and also scoring 3 more touchdowns. Now again, I am proud that Matt Forte is keeping the Chicago offense afloat, but being the type of running back he has shown to be, his rushing yards and touchdowns should definitely be higher at around 750 rushing yards and 6-7 touchdowns. And while I like what I see in his ability to be dual threat as an option in the pass game, I just have to reiterate that Forte should not be leading this team in receptions over Marshall and Jeffery nor have more receiving yards that 6'5" wide out Brandon Marshall. What drives me even crazier one this is that Matt Forte came into the NFL one year after Minnesota Viking's star halfback Adrian Peterson had been drafted. He is slightly bigger, a few seconds slower, and just as powerful as Peterson, and yet there seems to be something missing from him this season that has been there in all the others that he has had with the Bears. One can only hope he is tuned up and ready to hit the ground running again.

As for the rest of the offense, they seem to be working out fine (with some off-the-field moments here and there). But we cannot avoid that defense. Oh, that Chicago Bears' defense. Supposedly, the Monsters of Midway were going to make their triumphant return to days of glorious tackles, sacks, and interceptions going back for touchdowns. But like all monsters, these ones remain as nothing more than a story. The defense has improved at this point when compared with the awful performance that was seen last season, but they still are lacking in so much that we thought was coming this year. Overall, the defense ranks 13th in opposing rushing yards with about 102 rushing yards allowed per game while also ranking 23rd in opposing passing yards allowing close to 251 passing yards per game (NFL.com).

So just what is up with the defense? One factor is the injuries are continuing to pile up week after week. It is so hard to tell now just who is going to be able to play or not on this team that I find myself going, "Just stick the backups in and hope for the best" all because no one on this defense seems to be 100% healthy ever. Everything seemed good until cornerback Charles Tillman was ruled out for the season. This was a huge lost the defense being that Tillman is really considered the new face of the Chicago Bears once former middle linebacker Brian Urlacher left the team and retired. Losing him was losing the Bears' true leader. I say "true" because guys like Briggs and Cutler, who are considered leaders on the team, do not conduct themselves in a manner that speaks out to the team and it's fans by saying, "We will win. There is no doubt about it!" Their attitudes are more geared towards, "Lets just see how the season goes and hope for the best" which is not what this city ever wants to see.

Quick look at the Chicago Bears' defensive players that have been hurt and/or are injured

Linebackers: Lance Briggs, Shea McClellin, Jon Bostic, Darryl Sharpton, and D.J. Williams
Defensive backs: Charles Tillman, Kyle Fuller, Danny McCray, Sherrick McMannis, Ahmad Dixon, Chris Conte, and Ryan Mundy
Defensive Line: Jay Ratliff, Jared Allen, Stephen Paea, Trevor Scott, and Lamarr Houston

Like any car parts, if they are not able to be fixed or replaced then they cause inefficiency in the engine. Two big parts of that are defensive ends Lamar Houston and Jared Allen. Now Allen is known best for his time with the Vikings, where he was asked do one thing only: get that quarterback. And so he did it over and over again in Minnesota, racking up about 85 sacks in his six seasons there. Before then, he was in Kansas City where he began to perfect his sacking technique. Now, at 32 years old and with the team he tormented year after year, Allen has recorded a measly 1.5 sacks this halfway point of the season. And then we got Lamar Houston, who started out strong for the Oakland Raiders with his ability to play both defensive end and tackle. He showed promise as a player that could either stop the run deaden it's tracks or bring down the quarterback. And being just 27 years old about to come into his prime years, the signing seemed to be just what we needed to kick start things off. But, Houston has become of those parts that got damaged in a stupid way in that he tore his ACL while celebrating after sacking Patriots backup QB Jimmy Garoppolo. All I could find was that I was just speechless. Not to mention it was his first sack of the season. Other parts that have not been functioning right are Lance Briggs, Chris Conte, and Shea McClellin from getting injured and probably not being 100% in most games. But overall, the defense just does not seem to really be on a balanced level.

So with engine parts not performing at all or getting damaged which causes them to not be able to perform at all, eventually that sports car the dealer and salesman sold you stops working and it's wheels just fall right off. And that is exactly what is going to happen here with the Bears if they cannot get themselves in the shop in order to to perfect their performance this season and the wheels on the road to a possible playoff berth. Mind you, it will not be easy but it can certainly happen if they want it. For right now, the best thing we can do is just hope for the best out of those beloved Bears of the windy city. Otherwise, the rest of this season is going to be as bad as driving that Lamborghini down Michigan Ave. in the dead of winter with a bad engine and no-tread on the wheels

The 2014 Chicago Bulls Roster: Continuation

Although the season has already gotten under way, I still need to finish my outlook on just what I am seeing out of the this year's Chicago Bulls roster. So here are my next five players from the roster that I will be looking at.

-Taj Gibson: Forward #22

With the season under way, it just blows my mind that Taj Gibson has not seemed to impress Tom Thibodeau enough to crack the starting lineup for the Bulls once again. I mean seriously, the man is literally one of those players that helps fuel the team and brings a sense of dominance whenever he is on the court. A former first rounder out of USC in '09, there were some that thought Gibson's best chances to make the team was using his size (6' 9" 225 lbs.) and unbelievable record 7' 4" wingspan to strong-arm those he faced. For Taj, he not only made the team, but is considered, by me at least, to be the ferocious forward that has the ability to take the ball and shove it down the basket for a big dunk over somebody, and then run down to play defense and slap the ball right out of the air. I mean let's face it: Meeting someone like Taj Gibson in an alley would be pretty intimidating and scary for anyone. But regardless, Gibson looks like he'll be coming off the bench once again. Although his numbers were smaller than Pau Gasol's (who starts at power forward), Gibson still was able to average 13 points/game, about 7 rebounds/game, and 1.5 blocks/game while maintaining a 75% free throw percentage and 49% field goal percentage all while playing 28 minutes/game in all 82 games on the season. Now I don't know about you guys, but that is quite impressive for someone who is just simply coming off the bench. Now granted, Gasol had a bit better numbers with the L.A. Lakers, is a true 7 footer for the team, and also has the ability to step behind the three point line and drop two or three in a night if he's feeling good. So because of that, I thought it would have been awesome, though out of the ordinary, to have Gasol start at the small forward, Gibson, and power forward, and Noah in the middle at center. Just think: 7'0" Gasol, 6'9" Gibson, and 6'11" Noah all on the court. We would destroy teams on offensive/defensive rebounds per game along with blocks per game. Even with Taj Gibson coming off the bench, I feel confident that he will step, as always, to help this team reach the playoffs and maybe even win himself a Sixth Man of the Year award along the way.

Predicted Stats:
Points/Game- 15.5
Rebounds/Game- 6.5
Steals/Game- 0.5
Turnovers/Game- 2.0
Field Goal%- 48.5
3 Pt. %- 0.0


-Nikola Mirotic: Forward #44

In 2011, the Houston Rockets selected a young man from Spain by the name of Nikola Mirotic with the 23rd pick in the draft. Later that night, he was traded to Minnesota. And in a surprising move, was once again traded, this time from Minnesota to Chicago. That night, there were some who were probably thinking, "With all the trading for this kid, is that a good or bad sign?" and I would understand because I was in the that exact same boat as well. But after doing some homework (not schoolwork) on this kid to see just what the Bulls had traded for, I thought, "Oh baby we got us a good one!". Now I did forget that they analysts at the draft had mentioned that Nikola was someone that would be coming to the team in about three to four years time in order to allow him to grow and mature as a player. So I was a little upset. However, the idea that he would be coming to Chicago after the Bulls had three or four years to pick up some more talent to play along side him was so exciting to think about. So where was Mitotic for three years? Well, you would need to cross the Atlantic and head toward Spain to have seen him in person. For those three years after being drafted in 2011, 6'10" Nikola Mirotic was playing for the Real Madrid basketball team (and I had know idea my favorite soccer club also had a basketball team as well!) and was considered to be the team's star player while playing along side former NBA and Spanish guard Rudy Fernandez. During those three years of waiting, Mitotic averaged about 12 points/game, 5 rebounds/game, and 0.5 blocks/game while having a 50% field goal percentage, 40% three point percentage, and an outstanding 86% free throw percentage (led league with almost 92% FT percent in 2011). Although these numbers may not pop right out, Mitotic was described as Europe's best player because he has the size of a forward/center, the dribbling skills of a point guard, and range of a shooting guard/small forward. Hopefully, Thibodeau will give Nikola Mirotic some significant playing time on the court where he can start proving that he is the probably the Bulls' best European signing since the 1990s when the Bulls had Croatian forward Tony Kukoc.

Predicted Stats:
Points/Game- 8.5
Rebounds/Game- 4.5
Steals/Game- 0.5
Turnovers/Game- 3.0
Field Goal%- 42.0
3 Pt. %- 36.5


-Kirk Hinrich: Guard #12

Originally drafted in 2003 at 7th overall by Chicago out of Kansas. Kirk Hinrich was considered a wizard with the pass, three point shooting, and on-ball defense. He was with the team until after the '09-'10 season, which then saw him go to Atlanta, Washington, Atlanta again, and then back here in Chicago in 2012. In his 11 years, Hinrich is averaging around 12 points/game, 5 assists/game, 3 rebounds/game, and 1 steal/game. Kirk has also been able to hold career percent averages of 41.5% in field goals, close to 38% from three point, and about 80% from the free throw line. Now the stats say one thing, but his on-court play says something completely different (at least that's what I think). For one, Kirk Hinrich's "stellar" defense has seemed to have vanished after watching him from 2007-'10 with the Bulls, and then again when he returned in 2012 till now. His highlights of when he was in college at Kansas and a rookie in Chicago show this guy with fast moving hands that were up in your face and moved all around with you on the perimeter. 11 years later, I still hear people try to claim that Hinrich is one of the teams' best defensive players. Really? Cause I recall many times watching him out on the court with Kemba Walker, John Wall, and other point guards that would just turn up the juice and blow right past him like a spark of lightening. Those highlights also depicted a smart shooter all around the court that waited for the open shot, and if nothing was there, then he'd pass it off to someone would had a better chance. 11 years later, he seems to just take any shot that seems "good enough" from where he is, and if he doesn't have an open look, then about half the time he tries to force his shot instead of pass it off to someone else. I know some people will not agree with this, but this is just how I have seen Kirk Hinrich over these past few years of watching the game and understanding it more and more. As long as Hinrich does not take dumb shots and makes smart passes, he'll be a nice addition to the bench, but I still hope that he does not eat up minutes of experience on the court for young guard Tony Snell and veteran point guard Aaron Brooks.

Predicted Stats:
Points/Game- 10.5
Rebounds/Game- 2.0
Steals/Game- 1.0
Turnovers/Game- 2.5
Field Goal%- 47.5
3 Pt. %- 33.0


-Mike Dunleavy: Guard-Forward #34

At 6'9" 230 lbs., Mike Dunleavy seems like quite a specimen to have on your team. While his ability to create and make insane shots in what the Bulls do need, Dunleavy's ability to be a teacher and understand the game is also an impressive attribute for him to have on and off the court. Most likely, he picked it up from Illinois native and Duke's head basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski, who helped develop Dunleavy into the 3rd overall pick by Golden State in the '02 NBA Draft. Since then, Mike Dunleavy has played five years with Golden State, five more with the Indiana Pacers, two years with the Milwaukee Bucks, and is now going into his second with the Bulls. With 12 years of experience under his belt, Dunleavy is averaging 12 points/game, 4.5 rebounds/game, 2.5 assists/game, and about 1 steal/game. His career percent averages are 44% in field goals, 37% from three point range, and 80% from the free throw line. All that together and it is no wonder why the man is just 17 more points away from hitting 10,000 career points scored. Similar to Kirk Hinrich, age is starting to show in his game at 34 years old. However, Mike Dunleavy's size and high intensity on the court help make up for that in making him still aggressive to get rebounds and bound the ball inside. It is a bit surprising that he would be considered to be someone to play the shooting guard position given that Dunleavy stands 6'9", but if Earvin "Magic" Johnson could play point guard (along with every other position) at 6'9", then it certainly could not be too bad for Dunleavy to do it as well (well, maybe not "as well"). So with all that Mike Dunleavy can bring to Chicago in his intensity, scoring, and smart decision making, then there is a good chance that we see him become a a big factor by taking those perfect-form jump shots that he loves to rain on the opposing team.

Predicted Stats:
Points/Game- 9.0
Rebounds/Game- 3.5
Steals/Game- 0.5
Turnovers/Game- 2.0
Field Goal%- 45.0
3 Pt. %- 39.5

-Aaron Brooks: Guard #0

Believe it or not, but there was a time when I thought that Aaron Brooks was going to rise and be considered one of the top point guards in the NBA. He could drive, shoot mid and long range, hit the open man on a dime, steal the ball, throw the alley-oop, and dribble all the way around on the court. But that lasted only his first four years when he was drafted by the Houston Rockets. After that, he was traded to the Phoenix Suns during the '10-'11 season, then went back to Houston only to be traded to the Sacramento Kings, then signed with the Denver Nuggets only to find himself being shipped off yet again and headed back to Houston. But now in his 7th year in the NBA, Aaron Brooks is in a place that has had a few good years of turning former outstanding point guards in a slump into good looking backup/starting point guards for any team in the league. So far, Brooks is averaging 11 points/game, 3.5 assists/game, 2 rebounds/game, and 0.5 steals/game in his career with a 41.5% field goal, 37% three point, and 85% free throw career percentages. So far, Thibodeau is using him just as he should be: Derrick Rose's relief and fill-in man at point guard. And it makes sense why Brooks would be the choice for that guy because he shows such an aggressive and intense passion to drive to the basket despite the fact that most players seem to be towering over him because he is just at the 6'0" mark. Also, when you have to pick between a old guard in Kirk Hinrich who is risky and unable to really keep up and defend against the NBA guards these days or a much less fatigued and quicker guard in Aaron Brooks, I think I'll go ahead and give most of the time to my guy Brooks. So with the hope that Coach Thibodeau continues to use Aaron Brooks to help relieve some of the pressure off of Derrick Rose and be a energizing spark for the team coming off the bench, then I got a good feeling about Brooks making a comeback as a well rounded option for a team looking for a point guard.

Predicted Stats:
Points/Game- 9.5
Rebounds/Game- 1.5
Steals/Game- 1.0
Turnovers/Game- 2.0
Field Goal%- 43.0
3 Pt. %- 36.0