Kurt Becker Weighs In: Can the Bears’ O Line Get Caleb to the Super Bowl?

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Kurt Becker Weighs In: Can the Bears’ Offensive Line Get Caleb to the Super Bowl? Find out tonight at 8:30 PM Central on the Chicago Sports Podcast.

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hello Chicago welcome to the monsters of the mad house Chicago Sports podcast I am your host Brandon dupy joined by Kyle and Sean and the one and only Kurt Becker Kurt how you doing tonight I’m great good evening guys how are you good good man good good John how you feeling loving the night loving the night can’t wait to get going so Kurt the All-American Michigan Iron Man Walter pton Road paver the Super Bowl champion Championship coach and true Chicago and our guest tonight has worn many titles during an elite in storyed football career in which he wrote the standard of Excellence at his position a Native Son of Aurora very cool by the way kurk Kurt Becker was born to be a football player and what football player and a man he is welcome once again Kurt and thanks a lot for sharing your time with us tonight no problem you guys got me up late you know 9:00 I’m in bed you know so that’s all right I I love to talk football and uh people that have passions about it so you know it’s greatest sport in America Kurt as a young Suburban kid out of Aurora how did you first end up falling of with this sport of football well you know so I’m a little older than you guys but uh growing up you know there was no internet there was no Tik Tock there was no video games you know it was just old school back of the yard playing sports you know and um you know summertime the neighborhood kids would just get together and uh you know either go out and make bases out of cardboard and play baseball or find a field and play football you know and you know living in a house you know there weren’t multiple TVs there was one TV set with four channels so um you made your own fun back then and it was pure fun right right so just grew up in the neighborhood with kids and uh you know we were always playing some type of sport and um eventually you know I went to a perocho school and then uh I went to the public school system in h Junior High and that’s where they offered football uh so I got involved with sports I had an older brother and he he was involved also so he kind of paved the way for me you know Kurt you know did do you feel like you were destined to play guard or did you it just kind of you got to the Michigan and the coach told you that’s where you’re were lining up and was there no you know I probably in today’s football world I probably play tight end you know but uh them dudes are you know 66 280 right but uh uh back then you know um everybody was kind of slotted by their size to where they put him in a position you know uh but I you know the football I did watch I thought it was cool when you know you you’d watch the Green Bay Packers and they’d run a sweep to the right or left you know I always wanted to be a pulling guard right them dudes were all padded up and coming around the corner and blast the people and then you know at Oakland Raiders their guards out there and uh you know and then you had USC that was running student body right and student body left you know so you know I I thought that was a pretty cool position to be a pulling guard uh and then you know a former Michigan Alum and a very dear friend of mine Reggie McKenzie you know Reggie blocked for OJ Simpson in Buffalo and that was OJ and the the electric company right so and same kind of thing watching those type of guys so that’s really what kind of hooked me in is there any is there any position you would you would have preferred to play other than Gard well you know I I did play a little Center and looking back if you play center you can play a long time you know um you know uh being a pulling guard um we ran a lot of sweeps a lot of traps and and uh that puts a lot of mileage on you because those are highspeed collisions you know and uh that that that really taxs your career um you know with G with Center your guys’s pretty much on you you know they pull a little bit and move around but uh you know the type of offenses I was in with uh Michigan and then with uh the Bears we did a lot of pulling a lot of trapping a lot of sweep and and um like I said those are highp speed those are high-speed car wrecks every play you know so uh it does it does put a little wear and tear on you hey Kirk you lived every kid’s football dream uh playing from EAS High School to University of Michigan who was the most influential person or thing that happened that elevated your game to at the University of Michigan well you know I I I always say when I talk you know I was very very fortunate I had three very important men in my life you know I I had a father that you know he was a middle class hardworking man and he taught me you know strong values of hard work Pride commitment all those core values right and uh and and with those core values I I played High School football and then I had the opportunity to go to University of Michigan and then to have Bo shamb Becka as your coach I mean that just carries on everything that was instilled in your earlier in your life right and and Bo was unbelievable you know love him to death and you know I I’m sure I committed to a lot of contributed to a lot of his health reasons but you know you know he was just you know he was the real deal not not only an ex’s and OES but just as a person and commitment and that and then you know for me to to go to Chicago Bears and play for Mike dicka you know I mean Mike um probably not the greatest X and O guy ever but his highest qualities were you know his his his comp his level of uh competition you know that he instilled in you um his organizational skills and then of course his motivational skills that went with it so you know I had three very strong pieces that kind of molded who I was that’s pretty awesome Kur we got a question from somebody one of our viewers loyal fan Cliff we always like to get these guys involved he says Hey Kerbeck thanks for the four years as a bearer and as a six round pick do you have any advice for our fourth and fifth rounders I think he’s asking those numbers specifically because we didn’t have a sixth round pick this year well you know when I got drafted there was 12 rounds two days right and so you know if you really look at rosters you know throughout throughout the NFL you know rosters uh you know a good general manager is going to find players wherever they fall right and um you know so it really you know the only difference of what round you get picked in is dollars and cents you know but at that point 1981 when I got drafted it wasn’t it wasn’t about the money because there wasn’t money but it was more about you know the ability to play for a team and uh and to be picked by the Chicago beers you know it it it was a storyed franchise you know George helis started the NFL so um you know when I was at Michigan you know I learned a lot about football but the one thing I learned about was the word tradition you know Michigan was playing football before football was invented you know and and and you can’t go out and buy tradition it has to be earned and so it is it is a special sauce it really is and then to be drafted by the Bears they’re all about tradition right and so tapping into that was uh I I knew that sauce and I knew what was all about so that was good C what was it like what was it like blacking for for Walter pyton and and you know waler was like you know obviously probably one of the best running backs there was in the league or is and you know I I had uh you know I had great we had great running backs in college um and then you know the block for Walter and you know Walter was just a natural athlete right and um you know if you worked hard for him he was going to work hard for you you know so uh it was you know it was really really good it was an honor but uh you know he just he was a hardworking dude and uh he played the game the way it was supposed to be played any any memory or story about Walter that sticks out to you you know waler is just you know he everybody knows he was a prankster right and he was full of pranks right from on the field and off the field and you know we we had uh you know in the old days when we were in the old halis Hall which was Lake Forest College I don’t know if you guys remember that you know it was it was a dungeon right and and the rookies they put us in the basement with metal lockers right and and you know we got treated like a dog and uh Walder lit a quarter stick of dynamite and threw it down into the stairwell and about made us all deaf right and uh you know that was our first taste to him and then you know on the field you know one time I remember there was a big pile up and you know the referee sitting there trying to get everybody out of the pile and Walter’s on the bottom of the pile and all of a sudden I see a little set of hands come out of the bottom of the pile and it’s Walter’s hands he unties the referee shoes and ties his laces together on you know but W was waler was good he was amazing he was he was he was you know he was he was he was definitely a superb athlete you know and um just natural all the way yeah so Mark in regards to you talking about your days in Michigan I want to ask because you did play for obviously on the Glory Days when when especially for the programs like the bearss in Michigan when football is a little more based around running um he played for obviously Shen Beckler what was his offensive philosophy and how did it help you become an All-American player you know Bo was like uh you know he came out all those guys came out of the same hardhead school you know Woody Hayes and bow and all those guys and you know Bo and and and their philosophy was very simple you know they’ Lin up in a basic you know formation two tight ends and um you know they they pretty much going to tell you where they’re going to run the ball and and and and they would say pretty much you can’t stop us so uh the key in order to do that is I have to have better athletes than you you know so it was the recruitment of athletes and then also you know taking raw talent and uh they one thing Bo and his staff did is they would take raw talent and they would coach him up to be football players and I think that’s a missing element nowadays you know and uh so they they did a great job with that but uh it was just pretty much my guys are better than your guys this is where we’re going to run it and there’s nothing you can do about it you know that’s old school Woody Hayes did the same thing Smashmouth Smashmouth and you know that’s what Jim Harbaugh tried to do and did a little bit you know so and it it as they say in football you know it’s not the X’s and O’s it’s the Jimmy and Johnny’s right so when you got when you got the horses you can pretty much do whatever you want but when you don’t then you have to go into trickery and deception and all that so limited you know you know speaking of you know Michigan State Ohio State what’s your fondest memory of that rivalry over your time in Michigan well you know Woody that was part of the 20y Year War right with Woody Hayes and and I would have loved to play for Woody too because he was a complete nutcase you know um you know Brian bashnag who played for the Bears was a captain for Woody Hayes yeah so we would you know share stories and stuff but uh you know Woody the Michigan Ohio State game was like you know I mean it was big and uh you know Woody tore up the sideline markers in Ann Arbor um you know the story goes it started in 1968 like Woody’s win and beating us in Columbus like 50 to six or 50 to7 right and Ohio State scores like with a minute left and Woody goes for two-point conversion already winning by 50 points so the media asked him Woody why’d you go for two and he goes because I couldn’t go for three I mean and then it was like game on right that started the 20y year war and uh um you know Woody was you know I mean those those were great games Michigan Ohio State still are absolutely but that’s when the Big 10 was the Big 10 you know now it’s Lord knows what you know I still I still look forward to that game at the end of every football season you have to it’s a classic college football game oh yeah in all of football right another question for you from one of our uh followers Munoz says were you friends with I’m sure this is probably because we’ve we’re seeing [ __ ] getting inducted here you know better late than never but were you friends with Steve McMichael I could say we were teammates um you know we didn’t go out to eat we you know I mean he was on defense I was on offense so that was a big divisional line between everybody right but you know we respected each other other and you know um like I said we were teammates but we didn’t share Sunday dinner together by any means um but you know uh you know it’s very unfortunate what Steve’s going through right now and um you know I’m sure you could trace a lot of that back to you know football and all that that that that’s there but uh you know you can only wish the best for him and his family what whatever the outcome may be it seems like the the the 85 Bears are just as popular today as they were in 1985 what they they’re probably still regarded as the best defense ever play football what how would you describe your that 85 Bears team in one word well you know it’s you know um I think chemistry is a big thing right and and so we had a chemistry from the co you know and then there’s a lot of animos too because you know buddy Ryan he created a a very divisional line between the two sectors of the team you know um if you’re on offense he didn’t care about you he wouldn’t even say anything to you you know but if you play defense for buddy you know you had it was made you know so and and you know Mike dicka and Buddy Ryan they didn’t like each other you know but at the end of the day with all the personalities and all the conflict and all that we still had the ability to come together on Sundays for one common goal that was the win the game so there’s a lot to be said about that but you know like people like Matt naggie used to say well even though we’re getting beat our Locker Room’s in good shape right our locker room was a mess it was a disaster and that’s not that’s not you know towels and univ laying around that’s personalities and people and oh my God it was unbelievable so yeah I think that’s an over you statement good shape I think that’s [ __ ] you know with dicka setting the tone I can imagine right so it was you know it was uh it was crazy but it was good yeah love to be a fly in the wall there I want to give a couple shout outs guys to our first of all to our chat we got squeegee in the chat Patty Cliff um Dustin Scottish bear coming all the way from Scotland wow thanks Scottish bear that’s awesome there you go Michael’s here tonight um obviously Munoz as I said earlier um and then CSP as always AC Adam as always guys and then I do want to give a shout out one of our sponsors guys um Bridges scoreboard is your Northwest Indiana Chicago Sports headquarter with the Hall of Fame menu and the coldest beer in Chicago land I mean you can’t argue with that right well they got a good perch dinner too you know what I wanted I didn’t try I keep hearing about the fish and when I went there I got wings I I really should have tried the fish I love perch I think that’s what Jim I think Jim I think Jim Osborne got the fish when we were there perch is like a fail safe honestly that’s in uh Griffith right yeah Griffith Griffith just outside hm you have any you have any experiences at Bridges I I did a couple things there I think uh one of the owners is it Jeff maybe there’s two brothers and um they had a sports show I did that down there and then they had a summer uh event with some you know some of they do a lot with the Bears and uh they had that awful band The Chicago 6 play down there oh my God they were awful and so so your memories in Platville I got some I got some wonderful pictures here from from Platville give me some of your most Fondest Memories of what I heard was a wild time back in Platville Wisconsin Platville was like totally out of control right and uh it was like we look you know most people probably hated going to training camp we looked forward to training camp because it was like I mean we worked hard and we played hard and we party hard for six weeks you know and uh all the Capers that went on up there it was unbelievable you know and of course you know my dear friend Jim McMahon and all that and it was yeah it was a lot of fun I’ll tell you and it was uh I dick I might have thought it was good to get us away but then he was good like we gotta get them out of flatville because they’re gonna carry this town up right so flatville was uh that was fun you know it was good it was good you know you gotta remember we had six weeks of doubles with four preseason games yeah and and every practice was padded right I mean it was crazy so it was survival of the fittest you know when the NFL was real yeah right I mean it was I mean it was a blood bath was tough you know uh but that’s why we drank so much beer you had kill the pain now after your playing career you ended up going back in coaching of East War what what what did you try to instill your players as a coach well you know I uh my son wanted to get involved in youth football and uh so I took him to the youth thing and you know I talked to a couple dads and you know one guy never played and another guy played a little and I go well you mind if I help out because I want to make sure my son had a good experience right so he was really the one that got me involved so going with him through his whole career from youth football to grade school football and then when he went to high school you know um he went to marmian Academy in Aurora which very good school and then um he ended up going to Miami of Ohio and his name’s Garrett so I said uh Hey Garrett I said you want me apply for a job at Miami Ohio he said no I think it’s time me and new part ways so you know um so then I went to you know I A friend of mine said hey EAS Aurora you know they need a coach they you know EAS Aurora when I grew up there was probably one of the best programs in the state at the time and it it truly diminished to nothing right so I said well you know I’ll see what I can do and so a lot of those kids you know um first of all very there wasn’t hardly any kids you know I mean I went to a game and the kids are coming off the bench and eating hot dogs in the stands with their friends during the game I’m like oh wait a minute here so uh seeing that you know the type of kid it was um it was bigger than the game of football you know and uh these kids all come from you know hard times and broken homes and you know all that so I was going to you know there’s no question that the game of football changed my life and so I wanted to give these kids the opportunity to help change their life through the game of football right and and a lot of that is is stuff that even that don’t even go on on the field you know it’s again it’s those core values right it’s the commitment and sacrif ice teamwork and all that stuff discipline and all those po values that make you as a person and so you know I got involved with the kids and um you know it was it was a moving you know they hadn’t won a game in like eight years and that’s a long time right and so you know recruiting kids and getting them out and making them go to class and you know doing the right thing that I learned um which you know I think is the right way you know the discipline the hard work and all that so uh you know getting the kids and changing their attitudes and getting their commitment going and you know when we finally won a game you know there wasn’t a dry eye anywhere you know even the big coach was crying for the kids you know so but you know so it was bigger than winning games it was really trying to mold them into taking pride in what they do and then you know the final piece was that I truly believe is you know you want to give the community something to be proud of you know our Stadium it was called Roy Davis Field was one of the first stadiums in Northern Illinois that had lights you know to play Night Football and it was in shambles I mean it was horrible and it was run down beat down and you know you can’t have pride right so you know I worked hard and twisted a lot of arms but we ended up building a $10 million Stadium over there on east side of Aurora and it gave the community a rallying point right it gave them something to be proud of and the kids to you know look at and go man hope someday I can play there you know and so it it’s been good it was really really good that’s awesome when I said I want to change their lives through the game of football they did the opposite they changed my life how you like that so that’s a pretty inspiration story honestly yeah so you’re going to coach coach on the NFL soon right would I coach in the NFL no they don’t want listen to nobody they don’t care you know I think they’re non- coachable it’s a different game yeah it’s a it’s a total different game you know and I get that things have to evolve in order to survive football had to evolve it’s evolved over the hundred years or whatever but you know in the evolution of the game from the 80s when I 70s and 80s when I played to where it is now um the biggest difference I see now is it’s more of a Skills game than a violent game and they take it they taken the violence out of the game I happen to like the violence you know um being a lineman I happen to like that so you know they really changed the way the game is played I mean they and you know one of the one of the tell Tails nobody wears any pads anymore you know we had to pad every part of our body because we used every part of our body to block now you know these guys got shoulder pads that look like two little Peas on their shoulders and you know they don’t have no hands no nothing they don’t even wear knee pads you know and so less equipment tells me something is going on you know and um they don’t wear much anymore that’s for sure so it’s a hands game it’s a Skills game you know the Smash Mouth and it didn’t just change the way it’s played it’s changed a lot for the viewer too well you know the viewer wants to see touchdowns right they want to see scores yeah so they the rules for that yeah they kind of Transit like I’m I’m with I’m with you Kurt I like the violence man I think a lot they kind of directed us from big hits and too I like the violence I mean I love smoking somebody or or you know you get smoked yourself right you’re like oh [ __ ] right you know but um I like that but nowadays you’d be up for a month yeah we’re never gonna see a segment called called jacked up no I mean you know the game is like I said it’s evolved and it’s it it’s it’s a Skills game you know and it it’s interchangeable parts and not that it’s good bad or indiff but it’s just a different game yeah well while we kind of start to discuss today’s game um let’s talk a little bit about what Ryan PS is doing with this current Chicago Bears team this upcoming 2024 season we’re obviously trying to attempt to design a you know the franchise’s second Super Bowl winning championship team what do you like about what Chef poles has done so far in building this club well you know he’s you know he’s addressed certain areas of need right I mean they had you know 22 P positions of need two three years ago so they slowly went into the free agency market they created one-year deals uh we’ve had the very Fortune of draft position right show and free agency so the direction I mean there’s no question they’re going to be better you know they have to be um but you know once again he’s kind of molded everything towards the way the game is being played which is smart right you got a quarterback that can throw it and you know he’s got some weapons I mean I like Justin Fields I I I wasn’t a Justin Fields fan but I’ll defend him for the fact that I think it’s a part A and A Part B you know like I think Justin Fields failed the bears but I think the Bears failed Justin Fields also you know um I agree 100% at that level you need a solid support system and he he didn’t have that you know so it’s a little hard to throw harsh Judgment at him because when you go through a couple head coaches and two or three offensive coordinators and two or three different schemes in that short amount of time that that’s not a good support system so um hopefully they can get some stability they got this new guy from H Shane something I think his name isan wal yeah from Seattle and uh you know they kept ever flu so um but the key is you know you have to have a a solid office you got to have a solid coaches staff and you got to be able to provide that support for the kids coming in you know and so I think that’s important and if they can keep that continuity they should be better you know that’s well said well said I want to ask you a question you talked a little bit about the line drawn between defense and offense even in practice back when you were playing do you think today is the same kind of do you think it’s different you think offense and defense have the same intensity towards one of another during practice as they did back in the 80s you know it it the problem with practice nowadays is it’s all controlled by the union players union you know they tell you how long you can practice they tell you what days you’re practicing and they tell you what you’re going to wear during practice so as a coach you have to uh you have to adhere to the union policies you know which is a little tough right so you know it it it’s a different game and like I said it’s a different approach from the weight room to nutrition to you know their learning experiences so probably some are better you know obviously and then you know you can differ on some other but as a coach I I would hate to be a a head coach because you know you’re you’re hampered by the players union telling you what you can and can’t do and that’s you know that’s a little tough to stay in those guidelines you think think that’s the reason we have some slow starts to these Seasons just because they’re not padded and they’re not they’re not practicing as hard as they used to well you know they at the end of the day you know I I said earlier we had six weeks of doubles and four preseason games and those were all there was no days off right so if you got through that you know you you were pretty well conditioned for a regular season right and and I think you know the only only way to really get your body ready and your mind ready is to play football yeah you know and you have to absorb those hits and give hits and take hits because you know you have to condition your body that you know for a car wreck you know that’s what it is and gotta get that first layer of bruises on me right right you got to toughen up so you know not to play during the preseason I don’t know I think you gotta play and you know okay the injury thing and the r it’s it’s a risk and reward right you know somebody’s going to get hurt that’s just the way it is you know you know it’s a tough game for tough kids and uh you know you get banged up and you just gota and that helps you get better it callouses you more for the season yeah it seems there was less injuries when you guys were playing as opposed to now when the first four to six weeks of the season so it makes a lot of sense being more prepared and ready well just like baseball pitcher they’re pulling a pitcher after what 60 pitches right yeah come on you know you got no hitter going in the seventh and you’re gonna sit down because you threw 70 pitches yeah they start the pitchers before anybody else right and those guys are getting blown up right and left too right now so you know but I I I think that you know you you got to get callous up for the game and and not to play is that’s that’s a tough one because you know you got to get a game ready yeah yeah in regards to the modern day NFL and a little more about this current Bears team do you believe that the offensive line that that polls has put together is good enough to to protect Caleb but also good enough to take this team to a playoffs because I think that’s the biggest looming question still for this current Bears team is have they done enough to the offensive line and the defensive line to be as good as the best team in their division well I have some views you know I think playing offensive line nowadays is much easier than it was when we were playing because you know we spent numerous hours on working on blocking rules right and then as soon as a defensive guy moved the rules and everything changed and so we spent a lot of time with rules and calls and this and that and then you know as the game evolved they went to a Zone run block right so it’s a combination on the front and it’s a combination on the back right and so you know you’re stretching the the offense out and you’re finding a seam you know you’re not moving people you’re creating seams and and so you know those running backs are small little dudes now AG right and and they can get through they can get through a crack Shifty Shifty right and so giv them that seam uh and their ability to read it as where it really goes but you know we were we were moving people and you know and so you know they create seams on the front side now in zones and then they they shut off the backside and getting to the second level is the key you know the linebacker flow but uh so in regards to blocking I think it’s a lot easier they simplified it um and for sure the pass game because if a quarterback holds the ball more than two seconds in today’s offense he’s not doing his job right I mean I can come out of my stances stand in front of you and eat up two seconds so and and that’s where Justin Fields really struggled is he couldn’t he couldn’t get rid of that ball he couldn’t process it out but the successful of offenses nowadays you know they’re getting rid of that ball in two seconds they want to get it in their skilled athletes hands as quick as possible so that is really CH the pass blocking has changed a lot so Kurt what’s the day in the life of Kurt Becker these days well the day in the life of Kurt Becker it’s pretty interesting because uh you know uh number one is work out right I uh I I I really want take care of myself um you know it’s like that old Tom Petty song the sins of our youth right I’m trying to erase a few of them and uh so I work out you know um you know I’m limited in what I can do obviously because you know my physical ailments but uh my health is really really important to me you know and then um you know I have I play a little golf which is you know more outing than anything else which is fun and um you know and then I I have a uh I have a bar in a small little town of Sandwich Illinois and oh no kidding right I have a little sports bar down there and um you know it’s all good and uh so I I I go down there during the days um check it out see what’s going on and then uh do a little travel so what’s the what’s the bar I was just gonna ask that the bar is called Sports Page gaming and it’s in Sandwich Illinois and uh I just had I just had Jim McMahon down there and uh he did autographs you know and I’ll tell you what I mean I love Jim like a brother I really do but he is one crazy cat man he is he’s nuttier than ever so we’ve heard oh he’s he’s he’s out there and I love him to death I really do but I’m pretty pretty sure he were a bear sh to the uh the Packers Super Bowl ceremony yeah right I mean you know anything he would do would not surprise me you know uh him and I were like roommates on the road for seven years so you know but he there’s gotta be some stories from he’s something else I shake my head you know I love like I said I love him to death you know some people try to act crazy and then other dudes are just plain ass crazy he’s just pling ass crazy so we know what Jimmy Mack is I mean when you show up your first day you’re the first round draft pick and you got Budweiser in your hand right sports bars um I want to invite you all out to Chicagoland’s most delicious and fun Sports dining experience head to River Street Tavern located at 102 River Street in East dunde open Tuesdays through Sundays guys Kyle the play our our co-host himself will 10 bar for you he’ll serve you a cocktail he’s been doing it for a long time it is it is his crap um Kurt get out to River Street if you ever get a chance Kyle our man here will be serving you drinks wasn’t that wasn’t there Bonito Barney up there yeah that’s that’s right next door right next door and then there was that old uh supper club called The Anvil club that was yeah they they just closed they Mexican restaurant now but i’ I’ve been up there a few times that area yeah Jim Jim Osborne lives right down the street actually I think he’s an alonquin so he’s he’s he goes the opposite to emt’s up there all the time EMT is like that old Brewery okay yeah Kurt you spent you spent a career protecting quarterback so I got to ask the the question I’m sure everybody’s hoping we do tonight what do you what do you feel about Caleb Williams was that the quarterback that you wanted the Bears to draft well you know uh I didn’t really watch in college so you know because you get oversaturated with the media that everything presents you know um so you know but obviously listening to him he does say the right things you know um I if and if if it is true what he says then you know obviously he’s he’s on the right track for success but once again you know um if we would have drafted Pat Patrick Mahomes would Patrick Mahomes be who he is today no absolutely not right and that goes back to the support system right yeah got to have infrastructure yeah 100% so if if you know if they can have the support system and work with them um you know they gave him weapons right yeah uh he should have a lot you know there’s not a reason why he shouldn’t have a level of success so um but to say you you know the conference is tough right Detroit Green Bay so you know I mean you got to go at least 500 or better and and I think the schedule is in our favor so um you know if you made it to the playoffs with a wild card it you know it even be better but the journey is a lot tougher than people think it is you know one or two injuries changes the whole Dynamics right you know you lose a receiver you lose a running back and then you know defensively you got you got to be able to stop people but I I think their best draft choice of the year was the punter from Iowa I knew you were gonna say I mean there’s a guy he’s a generational player right he’ll be there 10 years I mean he punts the ball like them guys hit golf shots in the PGA right and and he can flip the field for you which is big difference right I mean it’s a lot easier on your defense when they start behind their own 10 yard line instead on the 40 yard line so I I think he’s a really really important tool you know that they got and um people are like you know a lot of chatter about it but they don’t realize you know how important that piece is because oh yeah after all that chatter came out there was a three or four teams that came out and then basically announced that they were upset that the Bears took them CU they were they were going to take him right after the Bears did right the Bears snaked him but he was good I mean he he it’ll be good to see I mean but he does [ __ ] with the football like holy cow and I watch a little Iowa football so you know it was good but um you know you expect you know Caleb and Roman those kids to be good you know but this kid can be a Sudden Impact kid for you so that’s good yeah if you can get the best at any position in the draft in in the fourth round you go you shoot right aim for Sky we had Kevin Butler and myy Buford that’s was our kicking Squad myy Buford great right so uh yeah at the end of the day you know uh I love the Bears you know I I hope them nothing but success um you know I like to casy family a lot I respect them who they are and you know I I would like to see you know I’d like to see them you know get some victories where you know they deserve it um you know knowing the Masis um you know I think their one big attribute is their loyalty to their employees but also that could be detrimental too because you know they’re loyalty sometimes overshadows lack of performance of them and they they don’t like getting rid of employees you know but you know at the end of the day if you can’t do the job you gotta go that’s right yeah it’s hard to find a happy medium between loyalty and and Ne necessity right right it’s it’s a two-way street right so but I I do hope that you know obviously they get better I’m GNA go to London and watch who are we playing in London again Jacksonville yeah so I went there when we played the Raiders and that was a lot of fun so we’re going to go back and watch it again maybe you’ll bump into Sean out there Sean was talking about maybe going out there I’m gonna try we’ll see we’ll see only time we’ll tell but it was uh you know they they play at that soccer stadium uh trottenham I think that’s how they say it and you know it’s in a soccer community so all the streets around it are just pubs right people people all over the streets and it was crazy and a beautiful stadium inside I mean you probably see some Tory Taylor jerseys right and it was I gotta tell you though it it was you know I mean it made Soldier Field look like a garbage can those stadiums too yeah those European soccer stadiums are amazing absolutely amazing right so that that should be good you know Kirk just a minute ago you talked about your love for the Bears so I have to ask in 82 when the bearss called your number kind of dream was realized for you at that moment being a kid from Aurora well you know it was for me uh all I wanted was an opportunity right and then to have an opportunity with Chicago Bears I mean I was like that I love it you know um so it it was good it was great for me it was great for my friends it was great for my family you know and uh to be able to be part of all that and then you know have the 85 team and all that um you know very blessed very fortunate through the situation but uh you know there was no other team I’d rather be with than the bear because I understood it you know like I said I go back and talk about tradition right yeah I mean if you know I mean Jacksonville wasn’t around back then but you know oh you got drafted by Jacksonville you know but the original teams are great right if it would have been Washington or Detroit or Pittsburgh or you know the Giants those those were the original teams and that’s what built the product Green Bay you know that’s what built the product so um I was very very very blessed and very happy that you know it all worked out that way yeah that one that one year you had that one year you ended up in Minnesota how was that for you I know you came back to Chicago but it was Sean it was awful so here’s what here’s the deal happy to hear happy to hear here’s the deal so in 87 I think it was the Bears were done with me and Jim McMahon right yeah so they send McMahon to San Diego so they sent me to Green Bay now back then there wasn’t free agency so you played against the same guys your whole career right yeah so they hated me I hated them I got in a fight every other play it was awful so I called my agent I said hey you got to give me out of here right so he goes okay okay so he calls me up he goes I got you out of here tomorrow you’re going new team I go great where am I going he goes Minnesota Minnesota what are you nuts right same thing they hated me I hated them got in a fight every other play it was awful right so I call him up I go look you got get me out of here he goes okay okay so he calls me up third day he goes guess what I got another team for you I go okay so he goes Los Angeles Rams with John Robinson right and I knew John Robinson from FC so you know I come from Mike dicka where you hit every day full pads It’s a Grind go out there to Johnny Rob Jersey no pads and a baseball hat that was how we practiced I said man this is vacation right so so I’m out there and uh about two days later McMahon calls me he goes dude are you out on the west coast I go yeah I said he goes I’m coming up so he came up in a limo and you know we reunited again so it was good chopped it up that’s awesome exactly so I spent a year there and then I came back and you know the Bears brought me back in free agency which was called B back then and uh then I spent my last two years with the Bears so it was good yeah that’s great that’s great I’m glad I’m glad to hear Minnesota was awful them more than Green Bay everybody says oh you must hate Green Bay and I’m like you know not really because when we were playing they were relevant right um right you know the two most winning coaches against the Green Bay Packers it was George halis and Mike dicka yeah so you know they weren’t they weren’t no Factor at us we didn’t care you know hopefully hopefully we can add met eberl to that list well it’s gonna be a tough road you know our our Nemesis was San Francisco you know the 49ers and uh oh our history against them is is very very ugly especially in the 80s well when they came in here and beat us in the NFC Championship you know it was like but uh that was a wakeup call but was what did you say that was the Catapult to 85 well that was after 85 I’ll tell you the Catapult for us was in 84 when we played the Oakland Raiders in Soldier Field okay and we beat they were the defending Super Bowl champs and that was one of the most violent bloodiest games I ever played in in my life I mean they were hauling dudes off every play I mean it was crazy but we won that game and that that was the game that’s okay we got the juice now you know thanks well I hate to I hate to ask you Kurt but I I have to I have to ask how did how did Dan Marino and the Miami Dolphins get the best of the 85 pairs well I think you know I think we had some injuries going into that game but I think Buddy Ryan got out coached right and he couldn’t handle you know uh Mark duper and Marino and all those guys uh our scheme wasn’t that well and you know we hadn’t faced a pass an attack like that right and and we were off on offense and so you know we got beat but uh you know bigger everybody thinks going undefeated is like a milestone but it it’s to me it’s not where you start it’s where you finish right right you when you finish in New Orleans win the Super Bowl well that’s the ultimate goal I think Tom it it did Detro your confidence because I I believe the Super Bowl Shuffle came out what a week after right after that right well we were the black and Blues Brothers that’s who we were we didn’t we didn’t Shuffle around so but you know it was uh yeah the publicity thing just took off like crazy and you know it’s it still is so there’s there’s a big infatuation with the 85 Bears yeah I mean I have kids come up I go son you weren’t even born till 2000 what do you know about the 85 years you know still the greatest defense of all time I mean they they the two playoff shutouts that that’ll probably never be done again and and there are a lot of 85 beer babies too there’s a little celebration after the game right so like War babies you know Super Bowl babies [Laughter] a lot of little kurts and Walters walking around after that that year Kurt Traxx wanted to to to apologize personally but uh thank you as well for being on tonight um and we all want to thank TR Trax for his persistence and and getting you on the show tonight to spend some time with us personally on a Monday um I know we’ve kept you on here for about an hour now an hour now and I know you pray ready to get to bed um but yeah just just a blessing to share some stories with you hear about that 85 team and just especially like the Aurora coaching experience and everything man just want to say thanks a lot for spending some time with us tonight oh it’s no problem like I said I I enjoy the game of football you know and um you know the game changed my life right so I’m I’m ever indebted to the game and you know people go well you know because we all if you play long enough you’re going to suffer from aches and pains right that just goes with the territory and they go well if you knew them well you know now would you play and I go are you crazy I’d do it 10 times over right so it it’s it’s a great game and um you know it it just presents so many opportunities for people within the industry you know and and and they can be life altering opportunities and and at the end of the day you know they always you know they’d ask Bo Shen Beckler about you know they’d ask hey coach what’s this team going to be like and he goes I don’t know ask me in 10 years and they go 10 years what are you talking about he goes well I’m gonna see how these guys turn out in 10 years are they going to be good citizens are they gonna be good Fathers are they gonna be leaders are they going to be you know uh solid people within the community if they are then it’s a successful team so that’s pretty powerful yeah that’s awesome Insight that’s one of the cool things I think paraphrases I think I’ve ever heard from a coach in any sport to be honest because that is the most important thing at the end of the day and I I I hate to bring it up but in today’s game you know you you see a lot of not so much Role Models so it’s good to hear you know from shmc something like that right no it was it was like you know I get it you know so um of course he wanted to win like everybody else but the ultimate goal is you know he wanted a program that produce solid men that went out and represented the school represented themselves and you know represented the community in the way they should so that was good yeah they’re Role Models Youth too all right well you guys man nice CH football yeah I’ll see you somewhere the line right we appreciate you then we appreciate you now Kurt thanks a lot for coming on as as a famous George MC’s famous tagline Gober all right always welcome back all right see you guys thanks thank you Kurt Becker everybody wow that’s that’s awesome I love he I love hearing stories from those guys that was fun man let me let me catch up some of these just give a shout out to some more of these guys in the chat um squeegee thanks for being here tonight Cliff Dustin um the new breed 313 sports that’s the new chatter I haven’t yet seen him so thanks for joining us tonight um be ski film as always uh Michael Michael said this earlier and like I kind of like what he said we were talking about momes being drafted to that team with that Tris was drafted to and I agree 100% with Kurt that Mahomes would not have developed into the pro that he is today um but with Mitch that team actually had a pretty good season and he pointed out we might be talking about one of the best teams since the 20 or 201 or 2016 maybe I think he means what’s that yeah the comment Michael if TR really think if you planted Mahomes on that 2018 Bears team that Mitch trabis played on which made it to the playoffs with the double dink might have been one of the best teams since I I wouldn’t disagree with that that defense was really damn good yeah you know it just seems like the Bears just had a long long run of a losing culture and they they never really had an infrastructure and they were bringing the timing was always wrong their rebuilds were always kind of backwards you know they would do this thing where they they bill brought bill poine in to hire a coach and then they hired they picked nared it down to two different people and then they hired a GM and then they hired the president of football operations you know it’s just unprecedented for most franchises especially in the NFL but it seems like Ryan poles and Kevin Warren are starting to turn this thing around a little bit but yeah I think I think had a good 2018 season but after that a to continue it might not have survived it he might not have survived the Sam muster for Jason Peters Larry boram days he would have been running like he was in the Super Bowl Super Bowl loss I was off on a year too that was 83 that the Bears lost to the to the ners Kirk Kirk caught me not 84 we got game seven Edmonton’s up two nothing I know no one cares about hockey but it is a game seven guys oh yeah I forgot yeah I’m pulling I want con M David to win man I want I to win that game I’m happy to hear that yeah let me catch up as trackx would say guys I’m paying the bills I want to thank TC world of lenders your headquarters for all your dream Chicago sports jerseys and memorabilia guys top-of-the-line gear for the cheapest prices um also Underdog fantasy the number one fantasy sports app get five picks right and mega Bank your money by 20 times um as always guys also the worth Stadium Club cool place to go game get some food and have a cocktail um and then budget cars as well go check budget cars out and you guys want to catch up with read a couple of these comments sure okay what was he he said we were the black and Blues Brothers what was he ref I I obviously wasn’t around for the 85 season the black and Blues Brothers was a poster that the offensive line put out the defense of the junkyard dogs and the offense of The Blues Brothers I gotta check that out on my ceiling in the garage that’s why I pointed up I gotta I gotta check that up sounds like Cliff had the same poster me trying to wa I should have moved the camera towards the ceiling Dustin says Kurt was part of two two of the oldest oldest and most heated rivalries in football history that’s pretty awesome could you imagine playing on the Bears then the Packers then the Vikings Dustin’s comment earlier was awesome he said uh the worst agent ever for sending him to the Packers of Vikings and then he’s like but then he totally redeemed himself brought him back to the Bears um give me one second guys there’s supposed to be Brandon wanting me to discuss something in the overlay but I’m oh here it is okay um guys kick cancers kick cancer is Scott Bridges fundraiser Scott bridges of bridges scoreboard um it is September 27th 400 p.m. to midnight um $20 Mission includes food cash bar um I can’t read Jason and jacqu and Scott negret 4:30 to 6:30 the rack brothers from 7 to 10 guys go check it out um you’re in the aial um Bridges like we like we say day in and day guys Bridges also has really good food really fun and environment and I I just 100% sports bar guys good place to watch a game um they have a really big dining room in the back and lot of cool a lot of cool Sportsman reila there to check out too guys I mean they like I can’t imagine how many pro players have been in that place with the amount of autographs they have hanging on their wall I have to make it out there to one of these shows and check that place out oh yeah man I I had a be T when we were out there and I swear man this thing had more bacon than lettuce it was amazing and wasn’t the dressing like a bacon garlic dressing or something bacon tomato yeah it was delicious man that that I swear there was it was like would you like some lettuce with your bacon salad it was like a quarter pound of bacon on there it was delicious and the dressing was phenomenal too uh Jay Grizz says I had the Super Bowl poster that year looks like Sean still got his Super Bowl shirt from that year I got a couple I got a couple those I got a couple of those Bulls Throwbacks from the 90s you know with the caricatures the cartoon yeah I still got I might have one of those in a bag somewhere in the basement I I still might I have a bag full of bears Cubs Bulls T-shirts from like I’m pretty sure I’m sure sure pretty sure Bern and I’s mom got us one of those shirts for every single year they want a championship I mean we had those were best shirts though yeah I still have a few of them I don’t remember why I wore I threw on one night when we went to the city and I was walking into a club and the bouncer who was checking my ID at the door and this guy I mean mind you I’m 6 foot tall at this time 150 pounds this guy is like 6 foot6 285 and he’s like I’ll trade you shirts right now man I think I can SP I think I can spend the rest of the night in your parachute over work so talking a little I do want to get a little little bit into the because I you know I wanted Kurt to obviously tell his story guys which was which was awesome by the way especially I don’t know if he said it on he told me before the show he coached Aurora for 20 years yeah that’s remarkable how much that guy’s dedicated to the game um how much he dedicated to the Bears and and then to the youth the Chicago Suburban youth just remarkable honestly I can’t imagine I love that he says he his son was like he was to his son he’s like do you want me to go coach Miami Ohio so we can St and his son’s like no this is where he part ways because you didn’t want to shepher own while he was partying there that’s you know what I think I think someone said in the chat they can make a movie out of that story they probably could man he should be selling rights Dustin Dustin said you could make a good movie out of that yeah I mean that whole 8 85 team should have they should each have their own movie especially Jim McMahon oh God they had a camera or Paparazzi follow that guy around for a couple of years yeah imagine imagine social media when Jim mcmah was in his 20s oh yeah I don’t know if there’s I don’t know if there’s any truth behind it but somebody once told me a story about how he injured his eye which is the reason he wear sunglasses all the time was because he was trying to get a knot out of his cleats with a fork and it slipped poked I I do want to dive a little bit into the question guys do you think this off because it is like I said the looming question of this 2024 season do we think the offensive line is good enough to to give Caleb the time he’ll need to take this team in the playoffs I think the the potential is there the problem with the offensive line right now is there’s just a lot of ifs you know obviously Sean and I were actually talking earlier about Nate Davis he needs to have a huge bounceback here if he doesn’t then that’s going to be Ryan Po’s probably second biggest mistake since becoming GM the Chicago Bears and then right now I think the it’s kind of up in the air who the off the center’s going to be I think it’s kind of like anybody’s job to win but I’m going to assume it’s going to end up being ran baits and I think there’s a lot of question marks about him as well I mean as far as I can tell he’s been a pry all backup his whole career I think he had 19 starts at some point but I mean there’s a reason that the bills didn’t resign them I I know the bills had some some salary cap issues but the center is a pretty important position and they seemed like they were all right moving on you know one of the things that I was looking at was Waldron’s offense and I think we’ve talked about this before Seattle’s offensive line was ranked right around the bears but Gino Smith was also very successful on that offense he’s very good at moving the pocket moving arm slots getting quarterbacks in good positions to succeed he’s also pretty proficient getting the ball out of there pretty quickly to adequate himself to the deficiencies on the offensive line so I think we got to just give him a little time let him work with this see what he’s got and I I have a lot of confidence that walr will build plans that’ll hide some of the deficiencies in this offensive line if there are any you know I think person if all five guys start and can stay healthy I think going to be pretty solid obviously Center being the one question well and even if you go back and look at like all the individual Pro Football Focus grades for each guy I mean the Bears offensive line probably wasn’t as bad as we all thought it was last year I mean Justin fields and I’m not here to I’m not about to tear down Justin fields and you know the pass is the pass but I don’t think he did them many favors you know like like Kurt just said you get about two seconds this league you throw the ball and sometimes Justin it felt like 10 11 12 I don’t know how many time I don’t know about Sean and I watch the games often together and knows that I’ve I’ve screamed at his TV a timer too please throw the ball Justin please throw it any just throw it out of bounds it seems as if Jay G Jay Grizz would agree with you he said this this offensive line gave Justin time last year and like you said God that did seemed to improve at the center position I from David Kaplan actually said himself that he from inside sources they pretty much told Bates he is the starting center for the 2020 is what I’ve heard I don’t want to I’m paraphrasing but um it’s it’s interesting though Coleman Shelton who played his entire last season on the Rams the LA Rams is now a Chicago Bear the same as as Kurt was some juncture of his career played for the Rams and then came back to Chicago I wonder if he’d have any words for the young man after playing in LA and coming to Chicago get the weather’s a lot different that’s for sure I would I would have just say having a rookie quarterback I probably would have shored that position of with a very good veteran if I wasn’t able to get one in the draft I don’t know that I I might say that would probably be the biggest failure of this off season in my opinion I know other people might say defensive line but you got a rookie quarterback you should have shorted up that Center position in my I agree 100 I would have loved to see denil Hunter here I would loved to see Wilkins here any of those big free agents but the one that I think cut me the deepest the one that hurt the most was probably Lloyd cushenberry you know there had been speculation or you know little rumors that the Bears had been talking to him and they’ve been discussing contracts but it it’s it’s they they didn’t pull the trigger and that that one hurt a little bit because like Sean said with a rookie quarterback you know he’s going to need some help with those audibles and adjusting these defenses and these schemes and a veteran Center is important yeah I don’t know if Bates and Shelton fit that but I mean like you said Brandon he did play with he did play with uh Stafford last year so I guess we’ll see I guess we’ll see on that and don’t like speculation guys we are about facts on this show but um yeah I don’t it’s maybe I I I hate doing this maybe if they’re still having trouble with it halfway through the year if Connor Williams isn’t signed by somebody I don’t like throwing out speculative signings but I could see Ryan P’s giving that guy a call at least you know I I think they should go sign him right now yeah you know what I think you can’t fix every hole on the you can’t fix every hole in the roster in one year you know I think this is basically going to be a try out for Ryan Bates it’s the starting center and if if Ryan PSE doesn’t like it then you know we have plenty of draft Capital next year and the beers are still going to be up there in terms of salary cap for agency money so you know you can’t you can’t Rome wasn’t built in a day and as long as the Bears are making progress and taking steps forward and kale Williams continues to look better every game I I think they’ll be happy I I don’t think the goal was ever necessarily to win a Super Bowl in 20 24 now obviously that would be absolutely amazing if they did but cff says Caleb’s leadership aspect is better than Justin’s no leadership is not something I ever heard I never heard anything in regards to Justin’s leadership I don’t think he had any issues pay a leader I think the the locker room really trusted Justin Fields I think that’s the difference in Caleb and Justin is I don’t know that Justin Fields trusted himself and that’s one thing that we I think we all know Caleb Williams is more than capable of doing is I I think that first year I think that Cleveland game ruined Justin Fields man personally I don’t think he was the same player ever after that game yeah know don’t obviously don’t want to dive down on this hole again but you know it’s it’s obviously Justin fields did F the bearsy he held on to the ball too long he wasn’t be able he wasn’t quick at processing plays he wasn’t quick at picking up audibles changing changing the play at the line of scrimmage but you know what he was his first year there I believe was thrown to nille Harry uh ecin St Brown Byron P Pringle his offensive line consisted of what Sam muster Jason Peters at 41 years old very B I mean there was just no infrastructure there like I’ve said this time and time again I I I’m happy the Bears moved on from Justin Fields I love Caleb Williams I’m happy he’s here but I really don’t think that Justin Fields stood a chance I think he was just kind of a victim of circumstance you know it was really nobody’s fault because when Ryan P got here the salary cap was a mess the roster was a mess he had to burn it down he really didn’t have an option I mean CLE Mack was eating up almost 30% of their salary he it’s just Justin field was wrong place wrong time for him and and I don’t know how people realize his biggest knock coming out of college and why they said he should stay another year was because he held the ball too long but they drafted him they put him in a terrible situation and never gave him anybody who can help him improve his deficiency so a lot of and everywhere and everybody in this situation and you know and you get these killer Williams naysayers who are coming out and they’re like oh a lot of the a lot of his struggles are are similar to Justin field you know Caleb Maybe Caleb did hold on to the ball a little bit too much in college and that’s been proven because he did have he did fumble too much but he also is much better at navigating the pocket and he’s much he keeps his eyes downfield all the time I mean Cale Williams is constantly looking for the Home Run constantly looking to win the game Justin sometimes at me I don’t know about you guys but to me it looked at times like he was just trying to save his life well I think you guys are both both right in saying Kylie you mentioned the lack of of tent that that Justin had around him and Sean you mentioned that he got rocked pretty early in his career I think as the Bears roster improved because it’s it did slightly from year to year during Justin’s career I think you’re were right I think he had already kind of lost trust in the people around him even even as they gotten better I think it was hard for him to find find that trust again um guys Dustin’s asked us a couple of questions I do want to get on this too what’s your biggest concern about this Bears roster right now I I I wouldn’t say offensive line my biggest concern is is pass rush and Kurt said at best one guy gets injured changes the literally the out the alternative of SE like the outcome of season if if montz sweat is injured during this season I don’t know what the hell the Bears are going to do top of any of them possible injury I I still concerned about who’s playing across from him if he’s healthy all year to be honest we talked we talked about this the injuries are not if their win you know if they lose Travon Dexter if they lose Andrew Billings if they lose mon SWAT this team’s going to be in trouble I agree with you 100% Bron the be’s biggest hole right now is is defensive line and particularly depth at the defensive line I mean I like that like we we all talked about this you know Sean’s a huge Rock CH j-hawk we I like the booker signing but he’s a rookie and he’s it’s going to take him time to adjust the NFL and I think they’re also probably going to add some weight to him as well and that’s going to take some time as well it’s I was kind of surprised the that surprises me the most is that when Matt ever got here the first thing he said is this whole defense is is is ran around the three technique that’s the most important part of this defense and it seems like unless dvon Dexter takes some Monumental lead next year it seems like that they’re still looking for that guy now I’m not saying that’s not possible I think dvon Dexter came around at the end of last year and looked really good but obviously you’d like to see him play more consistently before you just anoint him the the savior of the Chicago Bears because the three technique seems to be the most important player in this scheme now like we talk talked about earlier I think I think Bruce referred to it as the anchor of his defense yeah we’ve seen it and the same scheme in other places you know Aaron Donald’s a wrecking ball you know what they say they say that creating pressure up the middle is what disrupts the timing of the offense and right now I don’t I can’t say for sure that the Bears have that guy know but I do think that Javon Dexter is gonna get a lot better this year you agree I mean I’m watching him in the offseason he’s put in the work I mean and he did come on at the end of last season I’m just gonna I’m not gonna say this is it I’m G throw one name out there 12 and a half sacks his rookie year Mark Anderson if if my boy from The Jayhawks can do that this year we’re all gonna be really happy let’s go Booker come on I still today remember Bon and I going back and forth I I liked Mark Anderson a lot Bon was like man these sacks are all gimmies and a lot of them were I thought he was left unblocked because there was so many other guys to worry about on that I thought he reaped I thought he reaped the benefits of other people playing well secret I got an autograph Jersey Mark Anderson 12 and a half sacks rookie year did he write that he did I asked him to I met him at okay well you asked I was gonna say that’s L um Dustin says what’s the least what what do you what and what do you have the least concerns about when it comes to the current Bears roster I think everybody’s gonna say I think everybody’s going to say wide receiver that’s going to be the most common answer it’s probably the most obvious answer but I’m I’m GNA say for the first time second ever ever guys as a as a Bears fan I’m going to say the quarterback is my my my least concern it it really is um it feels like we got it right this time it feels like you know we got a guy who’s going to grow a guy is going to get better even if he comes out and the go gets tough if it’s if it’s rough early I feel content about not only this upcoming season but I feel content for the next you know five to eight years that we’ve finally maybe finally gotten this position correct puts my mind at ease a little bit because as Bears fans over the offseason we come in every year thinking we could be a good team but we’re still not gonna have the passing attack that the modern day NFL provides and I feel like we might actually finally be in the same conversation as some of these offensive juggernauts I agree with Sean too I I think currently right now the strongest part of this Bears team would be the secondary and the defensive backs I mean it’s not only not only are they deep in the secondary but I I I still think a lot of these guys have untapped potential I think Stevenson has Stevenson has a chance of being the best corner on that team and that’s saying a lot playing next to Jaylen Johnson I mean I think Sean Sean what was that stat you gave me about jayen Johnson the other day I mean it was astronomical oh he let up like 176 I don’t know off the top of my head it was like 176 yards and and one1 coverage last year which is an unbelievable number I actually have it on my phone gave up under 200 yards on the season that he gave up to to receivers I mean that’s just amazing absolutely amazing and like I think Kyler Gordon still has Room to Grow I think he he played well last year I think he’s only going to get better he’s one of the most athletic players in the NFL and like I said tyreq Stevenson seems to be Ball Hawk you know I think tylon Stevenson kind of gives me digs from the Cowboys Vibes like he’s gonna occasionally give up those big plays but if he can get get you know an interception or two every once in a while that that’ll make up for it J says in regards to go ahead oh no last year Jaylen Johnson he allowed a pass rating of 33.3 targeted while allowing a minuscule 195 yards at37 yards per coverage snap that’s insane folks that’s Dell revas numbers that’s that’s that’s Dell revas numbers right there man you know it was gonna be Hall of Famer and that’s and I hate to say it s Gardner was actually ranked higher with him which is almost hard to believe well yeah I was just gonna say and that guy was a second Team all pro I don’t know what the hell what the hell you got to do to be on the first team off BR um Jay Grizz says his concerns are Center Right Guard put returner we kind of have out the center thing already just seemed like there wasn’t much else available besides cushenberry who did get paid I don’t know if PS want to spend a money on a guy that he’s not 100% sold on but uh Right Guard I’m not too concerned about Right Guard I by everything that every Source I’m reading Nate Davis is GNA have a better season than he did with a little less going on off the field but then they also signed an insur contingency right isn’t am amaj amaj is that how you say his name Kiran I think he’s gonna be a swing or they’re GNA try he’s able to play guard though right if something doesn’t work out yeah I think they kind of they kind of got themselves a little bit of insurance there punt returner yeah I mean you’d like to see a little more productivity out of that position think there’s a lot of Mitchell they just signed I mean Ian wheeler or wheeler Ian wheeler yes just you took the words out of my mouth they just actually he he’s an undrafted free agent and they be sign him to threeyear contct obviously yeah they see something that we we I haven’t seen yet I mean I haven’t seen many highlights on Ian wheeler I haven’t looked him up yet but there’s there’s people who are saying this NFL comparison was Devon Hester I could anything be more fitting than Ian wheeler coming to the Chicago Bears and maybe breaking Devon H Hester’s record that would be I mean I’m not saying it’s gonna happen it would be absolutely amazing you just Devon Hester’s record’s never GNA be broken now that the bague has played way could you imagine hey records are made to be broken man Never Say Never Never just say that to John Stockton is regarded as a return specialist and he does run a 4340 so I mean he’s got topend speed and apparently he did this really well at the college level so I’m gonna say records are made to be broken but I I feel like once the game changes some of these numbers might not are we ever going to see somebody catch John Stockton with assists in their career yeah Tyber he’s 4,000 assists above the next player below him 4,000 I mean a guy would have to play another however can we say maybe not all records yeah you guys we also I mean you guys we also don’t know what’s what is this what is the new kick return going to look off of it maybe look like maybe these guys are going to score touchdowns at a higher rate than they ever have maybe it’s going to be make it easier to break these records we don’t know we’ve never seen this before the kick return the problem with the kick return is it’s going to be hard for a guy to gain that speed that momentum because he’s going to be the oppos the the the kicking team is gonna start at the opposing 40 so you’re only gonna be 20 yards away from the guy who’s who’s receiving the ball it’s gonna be Sean was looking at uh Ian wheeler some of his uh highlights the other day and he said there’s some of the highlights he was breaking tackles he was elusive I mean it’s not just he’s not just a speed guy they signed him a three-year deer for real for a reason I think they they believe he’s going to be pretty special you know you never know it’s there’s I you know romad dun also had some good kick returns and punt returns in college I think he might there that’s an option for them if they it’s something they want to look into but I think I think that Ian wheeler kid’s going to be special I so to this point I trust Ryan poles and he didn’t waste any time getting that kid signed with a threeyear deal so I’m excited to see him says it says throughout his pre-draft process they’ve shown a lot of attention and love um they seem to have a real plan for my development as an athlete and my ability to potentially impact this team my first season playing he was a return specialist and covered kicks at Howard and average six point yard 6.5 yards per carry now it’s only playing for Howard but I mean Dustin says if Halbert never dreams about breaking Stockton’s record he better wake up and apologize that’s one I just don’t see I don’t see that one all I’m saying is y’all love all these other players everyone’s forgetting about what Tyrese halbert’s doing dude he’s lighting up the East I hear everybody else it’s strange he doesn’t seem to get the same national attention as as these guys like Edwards and yic and Don he’s not he’s on a different tier he’s those guys he’s on a what he’s on a he’s a tier below those guys if you ask me but he’s also I believe he’s the youngest star ever to lead his team to the conference final right now right now 23 years old I could probably name 25 players that I’d prefer take over a game over Tyler I mean I don’t think we’re necessarily I mean what he Anthony Edwards and Luca donic those guys can literally change the outcome of a game single-handedly I think H Burton just fits into a a scheme really well and that’s why me he just he just yeah he just quarterback in offense scored 67% from the field I mean that’s not that’s not that’s what he did a broke a team record he just they just broke a record by a team that’s kind of my point he quarterbacked and he quarterbacked that team I mean he’s he’s the leader right he’s the point guard he’s I don’t understand all the mislove for Tyrese Halbert I love Halbert I wanted the Bulls to draft him over Patrick Williams I just don’t know that he’s I don’t Place him on that seven total shots 26 points he was 50% from three he handed off another six equate to another 12 points I mean the guy does that it was like it was like six of 12 from three wasn’t it I think he shot quite a few yes so there’s there’s most of your seven misses right there three we’re gonna we’re gonna beat this up now then can I ask you guys a this is my sport I’ll talk this on oh let’s go can I ask you guys a question uhuh do you think that Indiana team’s going to be in the finals or even has a chance to win them no behind I think the Boston Celtics are the best team in basketball because they’re kind of missing what what are you what are they missing I think personally they’re missing that guy that’s what I think they’re missing they’re missing their yanis they’re missing that guy they’re missing the guy that when things don’t go because that car’s got that team plan really good basketball if things don’t go the way they they’re supposed to they don’t have that guy that’s just going to say you know what what would would you trade would you trade Kobe white would you trade Kobe white for tyres H Burton straight up yeah of course okay okay I don’t think Kobe White’s on the tier I’m talking about just just I think he’s a tier below I’ll agree that talking about let me ask you this Brandon does the best team always win no um I’d say in NBA it happens Prima more than any other sport well any game any sport with seven five seven games series of course the Nuggets team usually Prevail nuggets were the best team when they won those finals the heat were the best team when they won their finals I mean honestly try think try to think of a lot of teams the Lakers were not the best team when they won their finals the heat are a little bit uh a little bit uh I mean that was a pretty special team would you say three chugger think about that question think about what you just asked me though the the warriors were the best team over their Dynasty the nuggets have been the best team with jokic the the Miami Heat when they had LeBron and and Dwayne Wade with the best team in the NBA right like I think you I think often yeah the team does win the last championship Golden State won they were not the best team in the league you don’t think Draymond Green Klay Thompson they were not the best team in the league oh you’re talking about record last championship I think I think the NBA I think the NBA is the safest sport to bet a future championship winner I would you think you would have bet you would you bet Minnesota over Denver no this year I probably well I don’t know this year I would have bet Boston that’s who I think wins this year I would have bet Boston 100% yeah but but before the series started but Denver and Minnesota somebody comes up to you and says hey I’m gonna give you 100 bucks you got to pick one of these two teams who you pick that’s not what we’re talking about is does the best team in the NBA win the championship and I think Boston is the best team in the NBA and I believe they’re going to win the championship and I think primarily yes primarily yes they play every sport it’s not every once in a while that the best team does get I mean look at the Boston Bruins last year I think that team set the record for the best regular season record in the history of the NHL and then got knocked out in the first round by sorida I mean sometimes some teams just can’t handle the pressure injuries so on so forth the best team does not always win in sports but yeah obviously at sports you get five seven game series primarily yes the best team’s going down I’ll say this Brandon I do think Boston’s going to have a great chance to win it all I also think Indiana is going to give them everything they can handle in this series I just I just think of a team with 13 like 15 now after Co primarily 13 players on a roster the best team is more often going to win than not as opposed to like the chiefs were not the best team in football even remotely close to the best team in football but they have the best guy playing the most important position right correct the best quarterback can often win a Super Bowl but the best team kind of like a it’s kind of like a Tyrese halberton I just I don’t I’m just kidding no I’m not comparing kybert skill set to pet Dustin says more of the stories Pacers are losing losing in five yes I got you on that Dustin they’re going at least six who do you guys got in the in the in the west Minnesota and six BN I I want Dallas to win I think right now Minnesota’s I don’t know that match up that’s going to be a game seven because you got a A wolves team that’s phenomenal at defending the paint but the the Mavericks don’t play in the paint they play in the perimeter you got to be really good defending the perimeter and Luca’s gonna do Luca you know that so I mean what Minnesota I mean what Anthony Edwards has done with that team I mean obviously it’s a team sport like you said but that team was ranked 17th in the regular season offense efficiency they’re coming in the playoffs ranked number one for for the last three weeks I mean they’re they are on fire it’s not it’s not always who you play it’s when you play them and that somebody needs to call him and find out where he is because I don’t know I’ll tell you this if they play defense like they did in the second half and they did most of the Season Dallas is in big trouble they’re suffocating to yeah I mean they have the defensive player of the year now I will say this and I showed this to Kyle earlier on a little video that press conference with Anthony Edwards where him and tals are sitting at the table go back and watch that right after they’re saying F those nine years look at Anthony Edwards hand it’s completely wrapped and bandaged up and it’s his right hand I don’t know what this means there’s no reports out but go watch that video his hand is 110% bandage that changes everything for me I’ll take Dallas if there’s anything wrong with Edward yeah that would be the smart bet for sure I would I would imagine if it was something severe we would have already heard about it probably be all over I don’t think they have to say anything until 24 hours before the game yeah I think watching LCA donic versus Anthony Edwards no matter who wins the series is going to be incredible I think that’s the series to watch I think the Celtics I think the Celtics do I agree with Dustin I think the Celtics beat up on the Pacers like I said I think the Celtics are the best team in basketball it’s a different brand of basketball it doesn’t matter I agree I agree 100% offensively there’s no there’s there’s no match for that team off the Celtics have been prettyy much been the best team in basketball all season it’s question now is if for once in the dust in the Celtics last five 10 years can they finish the job that’s the question because the Celtics have been a good team for quite a while now they just just always seem to to choke at the end of the season they’re like the Lamar Jackson are cousins of NBA guys we do have we do have a bears question pop up Gregory Stevens thanks for being in the chat um it’s the first I’ve seen him with with the bearss can anyone can any team cover everyone Swift Johnson everyone can catch at a higher rate um that’s gonna be tough I I I’ve said this before I said this before in the podcast that I think this Bears offense is GNA kind of change I don’t know I don’t want to get ahead of myself but it feels like it’s going to be how do you how do you cover these how do you cover those three receivers I’m not worried about anybody else how do you cover receivers you can’t play I’m with I’m with you man it’s I think defense is playing the Chicago Bears this year basically the coach the defensive coach will probably start the meeting with hey guys all we can do here is minimize the damage just minimize the damage you know if you if you double up DJ and you’re like oh we can’t let DJ more beat us than well how do you Kean single cover you approach man Zone cover two cover what do you do you I mean I think the defenses will have to make adjustments throughout the season because it’s going to be a tough assignment no matter where you are and and as much as as much as I don’t necessarily love the layout of the bear schedule since they bunched up all those division games late in the season it is nice to have those those easier teams those easier games early on in the season so that Caleb and R Rome can start to build some chemistry because if if Rome gets going and he’s playing like a veteran in week eight n it’s the Bears are going to be really really tough to be really T and then another thing another thing that I think is overlooked too and obviously it’s not something we want to see a lot but we just because Justin Fields is no longer the the quarterback of Chicago Bears we talk about all the options that Caleb Williams has to throw the ball to or hand off to Caleb’s a threat I mean if you let Caleb out of a pocket he can he’s got a big lower body that guy can take off man he’s not he’s durable he’s not easily injured so I so imagine throwing that you know that spy like defense you have to keep an eye a quarterback so imagine you got to keep a player grounded to watch kale Williams to make sure he doesn’t take off and burn you well you’ve got three guys that all could literally probably be double covered that’s why I’m saying this Bears offense is going to be probably different from anything I think we’ve ever seen definitely in Chicago it’s just there is no one man that you can leave and be like we don’t worry don’t worry about you know like the Bears had always had a player where it’s like like when Tyler Scott was on the field I was like I’m not too concerned you know let him but it’s just you don’t have that guy can’t you can’t leave any of these players without the attention they need it’s just not gonna it’s not going to work out for you and I think a Dun because of how established Moore and Allen already are dun might start burning people quickly honestly oh I’ll tell you the Bears can do something that most teams can’t they can run an 01 personnel and then they can slide DJ Moore into the back field use him as a running back use them on a sweet play where you still got three wide receivers I mean there’s so many options the Bears start doing that defense defenses are going to they’re not going to have any options they’re not going to be able to cover this team well and you’re rer and I mean Kaleb Williams is no he’s he’s no scrub when it comes to russing the football he in his his Heisman season 2022 he had 10 rushing touchdowns he’s you know he kind of actually his running style actually does kind of remind me of Patrick Mahomes they’re both very uh have very strong lower bodies they’re both really big guys and they and they they it’s like almost those pedestrian runs you know or you’re like oh Caleb gained eight yards there he gained six but then you look up at the end of the game and it’s like rushes for 60 yards you’re like where did that come from like I think I think that’s kind of the style of run that he’s going to be I don’t obviously I don’t think you’re going to see those Justin Fields 70 yard running over people out running people doesn’t have to do that what he provides differently from fields too is you know once Fields tuck and and like once Fields tuck the ball the defense knew these guy’s running the ball we gotta like yeah they attack the ball right yeah Caleb’s Gonna Keep people on his heels because until he crosses the line of scrimmage you’re gonna have to view that guy as a everything it’s like it’s like Sean said cup like last week on the the Friday show I mean it’s you know he may tuck the ball but you gotta watch Cale Williams arming goals he can throw that ball from anywhere you know literally anywhere he is he one he one of most gifted arms in the NFL immediately can you put it together that’s that means to be seen but you’re not GNA be able him as a ball carrier until he crosses the line of scrimmage which is going to buy him and that’s just something Justin fields did not have on his side soon as he got out of the pocket defens has immediately viewed him as as the runner that’s just and kind of they built for himself people like to talk about kaleb’s mistakes in college you know we’ve talked about this on the show before too Caleb Williams a lot of times was trying to win the game he was trying to win the game all in one play because I don’t think he had very much help his offensive line was not very good his receivers are okay but not great I think the first receiver from USC was drafting in the seventh round he doesn’t have to do that in the Chicago Bears first of all he’s probably going to have a little bit more time second of all he’s he’s throwing to three of the best receivers possibly if romad dun ends up being what we all think he’s going to be possibly three of the best receivers in the NFL and they’re on one team and then you can’t forget about Co KT Gerald Everett and then DeAndre Swift Out of the backfield I mean this I’m not saying this is a bias Bears fan this is the most dangerous Chicago Bears team we have ever seen take the field you know too uh from from earlier we were talking about you know some of his College stuff and people just got to remember I think the only player drafted from USC besides Caleb Williams was uh rice the receiver in the sixth round I he was playing on a really really bad team yeah it might have been the seventh round the bad team not playing that next year the Packers took their running back I think in like the fourth round I actually really like that running back too Marshon Lloyd yeah the Packers yeah no he’s he’s GNA be a which is kind of silly when you when you sign Josh Jacobs but I do really like the kid I think he’s pretty talented real quick what do you guys it sounds like it’s the Bears are all have all been picked for hard KNX do you what do you guys think about that do you guys like that I hate it I don’t want the distraction with the rookie quarterback here I’d rather just leave everything the way that it is Mystery I I don’t want to be on Hard Knocks I really don’t they’re I think I believe know they have they have the offseason one and then they’re going to do the in season I think the Bears are definitely destined to get one of them at some point we’re gonna find out soon they said the announcement the announcement is going to be in the next couple of weeks so we’re going to find out I don’t think it I don’t think it’ll affect the Bears play really like the NFL does it they do it I don’t I don’t know Caleb’s gonna love that Spotlight to be can I go back to one of the deficiencies from earlier I just thought about this I don’t think the Bears assigned a third tight end yet have they no they they they they picked up an undrafted free agent tight end but he’s he’s definitely more of a blocker I think he had yards total in his yeah he had 200 something yards total in his in his college tenure I think he’s more of a blocker but no they have not I know we we’ve talked about this all the time Shane Waldron loves that those yeah 11 12 13 Personnel that you they need one more tit for sure I really wanted to pick up F on on the offseason because he was familiar with wal sstone but obviously resigned in Seattle I believe so yeah I don’t think any whoever they sign I don’t think it’s going to be any big name or anything crazy but it’ll be somebody who’s there to play a role for sure they might ask marcedes Lewis to come play them more year I would actually really love that I would really love that one more you if he’s blocking yeah he can catch the the occasional touchdown doesn’t he have like some of the most touchdowns of a tight end with the lowest yards look over maybe with the lowest yards but definitely not I’m not saying he was a juggernaut the as a receiver I’m gonna look that up right now I do think uh there’s always going to be some like I’m sure there’s going to be some players out there after team first in regards to a third tight end yeah I don’t think you need the most talented guy in the world got need somebody who can block on the line yeah there’s still a few positions on this team I’m kind of curious as how it plays out you know like we’ve talked about I totally expect and I hate to say it but I 100% expect either Keenan and DJ Moore ROM dun to miss some time at some point this season so is it Tyler Scott who slots into there or they they’re gonna go back to Dante Pettis run to be injured what’s that I wouldn’t expect romad dun to miss any time but you just never know I mean like I said injuries are not he’s hurt already with a hamstring yeah it’s not if it’s when you know I think he’ll play the least amount of snaps of the three of them and he’s the youngest I don’t I foree his health being there’s a lot of things there’s a lot of little intricate details of this team We’re Not Gonna know until we go to training camp Sean Sean and I will be there I think Bern duster G along with us and I can’t wait to see it because I I I I think they signed Dante Pettis back on this team for a reason I don’t think he’s just going to sit on the bench I mean obviously he’s primarily a special teamer but I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he was ahead of Tyler Scott the pecking order when it comes to the number four receiver yes we got 50 in the chat so I do want to make an announcement um Wednesday of this week at 3:30 PM we also have Jay Hood on the show so thanks again trackx for the opportunity to to talk to some of these guys but um yeah if you listen to cing Hood in the morning guys obviously one of my all-time favorite um radio hosts on Chicago Sports um so yeah come check out the show I think Sean is going to be on there for sure right yeah yeah I’m gonna be okay it’s Sean Sean me Dustin and trackx if I’m not mistaken yeah thanks man I would love to talk to him I’m fortunately goingon to be working through that but uh yeah Jonathan hood and then on Thursday we also have Wendell Davis at the usual time 8:30 um with with q and Pinky and the guys so check that out as well obviously a former player Wendell Davis um so yeah a lot of stuff coming this week guys a lot of lot like I mean after after cap a couple weeks ago now Jay Hood um we had Kirk tonight um Chicago Sports podcast is doing good things if you want to you know get some insight and some stories from the guys who who played it and who broadcast it the best um check out Chicago Sports podcast tomorrow or yeah tomorrow or no sorry Wednesday and Thursday as well to you guys bur do we have any time left is it is it can we can we talk about the Cubs for a few minutes got about 15 minutes yeah I was going to let you guys kind of hash that we got about 15 minutes yet and I I did want to say guys we talked about a little bit earlier Sean imaga is now second favorite for the national league sa young I think literally there’s just influence there because he’s a rookie I I I don’t see how he’s not the clear-cut favorite right now honestly he’s off to the greatest start of any pitcher in the history of the game I don’t understand how he’s not number yeah I I think bernon you’re right 100% I think the reason is because he’s rookie and they probably expect him to have a little bit a fall off at some point but right now if the if the decision was made today sh imaga is 100% the sa young for the NL I mean it’s not even debatable he might even be the and you know what I think Javad should be should be involved in that conversation as well if he keeps doing what he’s doing the season end today how is imaga not sa young Rookie of the Year and MVP I mean he’s definitely the most valuable Cub that’s for damn she it’s it’s amazing it’s amazing to watch because it’s not like he’s of these he’s not Paul SK he’s not throwing 103 104 miles hour he’s just he’s kind of like a mix of AD Justin steel and Kyle Hendricks you know he throws hard enough and but he’s also very smart and he he smarts choice in his command on the outside of the strike zone I have never seen anything like it man his command outside the strike zone he makes Batter Swing because it’s looking like a strike every time he throws the damn ball and I I haven’t seen this this is different man this kid is different and I thought for the first couple games he’s a rookie he’s 30 years old but he is a rookie he’ll come down to earth it’s just not feeling you know what you know what I love about him more than anything I mean maybe not not as much as his ER but I like his Antics and his energy I mean did you guys see today they they released that video that every time he asks the Umpire for new ball he he does the little bow he he bows to him every single time I never really noticed it because they don’t really show you but oh he’s he’s a super likable guy fan favorite just great energy good Fielder on the mound I mean he can win a go glove to add to that uh repertoire that he’s uh he’s getting I mean he does everything and I’ll tell you talking about his pitches dude I he might have one of the best split finger fast balls I’ve ever seen he has so much control over that pitch it’s crazy yeah Sean you’re right if he keeps playing the way he is he has defensively he he could be in the running for a side or for Gold Glove as a pitcher as well but he made some really good plays man a lot yeah and he just he’s just one of those guys that looks unorthodox but he gets the job done and it’s it’s awesome he’s athletic well but as much as we can sit here and talk about all the positive Chicago Cub there they’ve not been playing well lately and that’s probably that’s more what I’d like to discuss with you there Sean what what do you think is the Cub’s biggest problem right now especially losing coming off this series of losing three out of four to the Pittsburgh Pirates you know we talked about it I actually posted this on Twitter today that this team needs a spark and I’ve been screaming from the mountain tops about Luis Vasquez getting up here and getting Master bony thank God they sent him down today we get this kid up here he’s a plus plus Defender he’s a contact hitter um I would really like to see PCA in center and Bush and belly start rotating DH in first base that guy’s electric he can bunt if he can take walk which he has been taking walks just get on base anything’s He he’ll be on third base before you know it they need a spark I think he can provide it they need to figure out how to get Bush out of his little fun but he’s a rookie these things happen but honestly getting PCA in there getting a little spark getting Master bony gone thank God he is hopefully getting cornerback because we’re lacking contact a contact hitter biggest concern is Health yeah players injured since beginning of the season I think I think C brought this up you know it’s it’s tough to gauge the Cubs in exactly where they’re at as a team because first of all we haven’t seen the complete team yet I mean even even the first game of the season Justin steela couldn’t finish the game he had to leave that game with mry then he lost B and Suzuki at the same time probably their best power hitters and then as soon as those two come back you lose niik and Swanson n’s probably their best been a bunch of injuries that you don’t read in the news they lost a kid that they liked I I know K you weren’t but I said this the first Chicago base Chicago Sports podcast Friday night baseball show me and Matt Cooper did he I said I am really concerned about the Cubs Health that is my my that’s going to be the thing that derails this team season and it has so far it’s it’s I mean they’re winning games with without their best players so kudos to Craig Cil but it started with Caleb Killian who was a guy that the Cubs wanted to play this year I know for sure he did and I think he went down for this season and after that steel had the injury and T tyion had the injury before I think before the season started it’s just got it just here’s the stat for you the Cubs have not had their starting lineup from opening day since the fourth inning of the first game on the field that’s insane well and even even ex excluding injuries I mean is it just me or does it seem like as a Cubs fan since they won the World Series in 2016 like they have potential at almost every like defense Bullpen starting pitching hitting but it never it’s never all firing at all cylinders at the same time like you know when they were hit hitting the ball hitting the heck out of the ball and they were with think top three in the NL and run scored their Bullpen just could not was horrendous one of the worst bullpens I’ve ever I’ve ever seen the Cubs have and and then finally they get these guys like was n and they finally have the luxury getting Ben Brown into the bullpen and now they they’ve got injuries on the on the offense they can’t hit what’s that how long are Herer and Wix out Wix Wix should be back pretty soon he actually they said the other day on the show that he just started throwing some long toss so you’re probably thinking a couple more weeks for him but Drew Smiley is actually throwing uh uh Merryweather actually they said yes Sunday Sunday’s game yesterday that he actually throwing for the first time this week so hopefully we can get all these guys back together and maybe we’re going to see a finished product and you got to look at it this way for all this crap we’re talking about with this team four games under 500 two games out of first two games out of the Wild Card they’re still right there and they haven’t been healthy since day freaking one yeah you know a lot of these guys a lot of these guys should get better as the season goes on particularly Michael Bush and Christopher Morell those Corners those those guys are still young they’re still trying to find their way in this league morel’s swinging at pitches he should not be swinging at Bush just seems kind of like he’s kind of a [ __ ] I think Bush needs to adjust his stance a little bit because he’s just struggling with that high fast ball right now and unfortunately it’s not the high fast ball out of the Zone it’s the high fast ball in the zone so he needs to figure out a way to hit that pitch or at least F foul it off fight it off until maybe the pitcher makes a mistake but like you said these are adjustments these guys will make these adjustments the the thing that concerns me most with the Cubs is you know if you have these these constant rotating door of Bullpen pieces eventually you’re probably going to have to make a trade for a bullpen piece and it it stinks because you know they were talking about I think I saw like a potential trade or you know it was I think they said that that the Cubs could offer that silly Mason mil Cassie Owen Casey uh James triono El Conta for for a pitcher who had torn his UCL twice and still has not had Tommy John surgery and throws 104 miles an hour like I would not make that trade in a million years I fully expect the Cubs to do what they normally do and the pregant to trade one of their middle tier prospects for a guy who’s pitching around a 253 ER and hope that they can they can pull the best out of them that’s what I expect you know in all honesty hopefully with Vasquez coming up hopefully he does have some kind of a stellar stint here because that could be a trade piece because you know with roas in the wings and you have H Hernandez in the wings this kid’s not gonna be long for the Cubs anyways I mean real I think they trade tomman I think they should trade in haap if he has any value left I mean that’s what gonna say is you were talking about man like the Michael bushes and like the the morels these young guys like these guys are young and of course you want to see him get better and develop but I’m really expecting like the guys who have I want to see Suzuki and hat finally like I want to see Suzuki finally be the guy that we believe potential to be and hat needs to just finally be consistent it’s not like he’s a bad baseball player he just can’t do it for a year long I don’t know he’s an average baseball player who’s declining yeah and you know what things change on the snap of a finger in baseball but I I don’t see any argument right now that you could convince me that we’re better off with Ian happen left field than Alex Alexander Canario I mean like sea just said worst comes to worse if Alexander Canario comes up he’s certainly probably not going to hit worse than 210 which is what he ABS hitting right now and if he does have a little a little stint of playing good baseball he just becomes a valuable trade piece at some point at some point these these what they call slumps become patterns you know like he this has been a long time now Ian hap has been struggling at the plate and then they gave him two days off they it almost seem like they benched him he comes back in hits a home run and everybody’s like oh Hap’s back and then he goes one for 13 you know I’m I’m I’m not gonna be able to stay till the end of this show I love you Dustin bre up not not gonna work here anymore I also think that more surprises are going to happen in in I think train training camp fre agents wise he’s referring to the Bears yeah I’m try not get too excited about late SE late off season signing Cuts yeah we we’ll see what happens by June 1st if somebody’s got to let go of somebody that’s too expensive maybe somebody becomes available for the yeah I think you’re going to be able to find a guy who’s kind of got like that that Noah Fant skill set out there obviously probably not as good but somebody who can kind of pick up the slack the Bears their core is there the foundation is there the infrastructure is there now they just need to kind of add those little those little pieces and pry up a little bit but I’m not worried about the Bears offense at all it’s like I said we talked about on the show it’s the it’s the defensive line and pressuring a quarterback that that that really starts makes me a little bit nervous I’m not saying this is going to happen but wouldn’t it be just insane and go back to this show somehow poles put the pulled the rabbit out of his hat and we ended up with Trey Hendrickson some way somehow a couple picks I I mean yeah my nerves would be for him dude to do some crazy [ __ ] like that what I do like about Ry I do like about Ryan poles it seems like all the defensive linemen he’s brought here can basically play play inside and out I think mat SWAT is capable of playing inside I think Walker’s capable of playing inside I think Dexter’s capable of playing outside if need to be yeah it’s he’s you can tell he likes those long athletic defensive linemen and he he’ll move them all over the place move them all over the place if he has to don’t say Marcus Walker around prando no no don’t please not even discuss well I’ll say this regards to what you said it would be crazy to have Tre andrickson here but the one thing that polls impressed me doing is identifying his weakness and knowing the potential his team has in a season so if he thinks offense is playing good enough to win a playoff game or even more and this defensive Vine is what’s what’s just not going to get it done he will go do something like that I think he’s just got to think that this is the year you know what I mean because you’re not gonna after you trade for Hendrickson whatever that’s going to cost you you got to give that guy a lot of money so you’d have to be really convinced that’s that’s missing before you go win yourself a ring because if if if Ryan Po’s even got a whiff of a superable possibility and thought that pass rush is what’s holding him back he would probably spend it man probably would yeah you know I’ve heard people any pass rush I’ve heard people they say they were talking about bringing yanuk and gway back I don’t think that I well first first of all he underperformed for the Bears and so if the Bears resigned him he got $10 million last year the Bears would not offer him the same amount he would probably be insulted he probably thinks he’s still worth the $10 million he got paid last year you’re right though bernon these cuts and all these you breaking the roster down to 53 men you know these these these teams have draft all these guys and they pick up undrafted free agents and fall in love a couple of them you know some of these some of these older guys just don’t make the cut anymore and and the Bears could take advantage of that for sure I wish Walker would make the cut as in be cut I like Walker as rotational piece I think he’s a high energy guy I think he’s got a good motor he’s obviously not wouldn’t be my ideal defensive end opposite m s I think he’s probably a little better than you give him CR no we don’t we don’t have any options piece If he if he has seven sacks this year Brandon you’re gonna love him he plays well when he’s got got some gas he’s good ATS when he’s a player that’s required to be on the field after they lost Yanik to an injury and Walker was required to be on the field he vanished I mean just this and we saw the growth of Javon Dexter after we the TZ effect they called it when mon came here the multipli everybody got better got better Walker didn’t do a damn thing like it was remarkable how little impact you know what he is he’s he’s almost he gets he gets he creates pressure on the quarterback he just never gets there man but you know what that pressure does throw off the timing Walker’s better than I think people give him credit for I think he is exactly the guy the guy who does not get talked about enough on this team is Andrew Billings I mean that that signing by Brian poles was amazing I think he was ranked second in the NFL pro football focus in stopping the run and the number one run defense and the Bears let up 84 yards a game last year yeah you got a credit a lot of that to Billings for sure oh yeah 100% Billings and brisker were probably the two guys that kept that first place run defense in place you know I mean I see a 95 jersey with the name almost on the back of it in your [Music] future better that better mean that the Bears signed a guy named all right shout out to these sponsors one more time guys um we want to thank Bridges scoreboard and Griffith Indiana guys go check out Bridges uh River Street Tavern and we know one of the bartenders he’s all right um SAR depy ice cream pilot right across the street from Bridges so go get yourself a beer and some wings then go get some ice cream after that guys the kids I love you for TC’s world of Wonders your headquarters for all your dreams Chicago sports jerseys and memorabilia and I’ve uh those I Tred to get one of those what was the the damn name of the brand the hat that those guys were wearing during the draft I forget what what they the hat that they put on when they walked out to be drafted I forget what it’s called there’s a there’s a 47 47 no it’s New Era New Era I think it was sold out and if you wanted to buy it from a private seller it was like $250 dude like so go to TC’s world of wonders because they won’t charge you that for anything guys um yeah and I just uh Sean it was great to do a show with you for the first time it was awesome being with the twins twins of glad you made it on I W to thank thanks for coming on to yeah I wantan to give a shout again guys to Brandon track letting us hang out with Kurt Becka for the night really cool um shared shared some information with some sight you’re not going to get anywhere else guys from except for the guys who played on that on that team that won a Super Bowl um Kyle as always been a pleasure um and to all the viewers out there Jay Grizz Cliff Dustin Michael everybody showing us love throughout the night Cheryl Gregory Paul um thanks for hanging out with us thanks for hanging out with with Kurt Aunt Moss um AC Adam thanks again guys been a pleasure as always gentlemen a picture of Wisconsin in your your little room that’s uh Walter pton that’s Walter pton pulling down suo shorts autographed from Platville in 85 Sean this is a children’s [Laughter] show try keep it G rated buddy alrighty Fells um we shall do this again and again Wednesday night guys Jay Hood Jay Hood with your boys here Kyle Sean Dustin will be on I know tracks will definitely be on that one guys come show Jay Hood some love just for giving us the time Wednesday 3:30 p.m. um I know he gets up early for that the captain Hood show so he’s going to do a little bit of an early show for us guys but uh yeah come out show Jay Hood you love um I’m sure he’s got some some stories as well I love to hear some Jay Hood cap stories from Jay Hood I like to hear from Jay Hood’s perspective after having cap on the show but uh as always guys this is Chicago Sports podcast Bear Down Bear Down guys hang