Bears’ Draft Day Strategy

The 2007 NFL season draft is in two days and we haven’t talked about the Chicago Bears’ strategy.  The Bears have selections at numbers 31, 37, 94, 130 and 168 in the first through fifth rounds.  Their last two picks will come in the seventh round.  These selections will most likely go toward filling depth as the starting line-up remains pretty solid since last season’s Super Bowl.

“Most of what we would like to do is upgrade at certain positions, and that again would come under the ‘want’ category,”  General Manager Jerry Angelo refers to the wants being more than the needs for the team.  “We want to create as many options as we can on draft day,” he continued, “we don’t want to get fixed on a certain player or on a certain position and then lose the value of a really good player somewhere else.”

“We’re really looking to get four really good football players,” Angelo remains positive and ready for draft day, “Maybe we could come away with more than that.”  No matter the results of this year’s draft picks the Bears starting line-up will not be effected, and depth can only help this next season.  Get 2007 NFL season tickets to Bears’ games at StubHub.com.

Permalink - Posted in General on April 26, 2007 - Post a comment

Bears Care Come Memorial Day

The Chicago Bears have announced they will be spending Memorial Day weekend at the 26th annual JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge. Last year 19,031 crowd members from 519 companies in the Chicagoland area gathered to support the approximately 1,440 participants of the 3.5 mile run/walk weeknight road race. The starting line will be Columbus Drive at 7:10pm, Thursday May 24th.

“We’re thrilled that JPMorgan Chase has chosen Bears Care as this year’s Corporate Challenge beneficiary. The Corporate Challenge showcases the same kind of teamwork that got the Bears to the Super Bowl. All of the participants are committed to doing something healthy for themselves while bringing some glory to their companies,” Marge Hamm the Director of Bears Care was quoted.

“Chicago is the city of champions, in professional sports, in corporate fitness, and perhaps even the Olympics. We’re glad to have carved out such a positive niche in the business community with the Corporate Challenge, and to kick off the event this year with Bears Care makes it even more meaningful,” added William M. Daley who is the Midwest Chairman of JPMorgan Chase.

The Bears will be in attendance to sign memorabilia, participate in giveaways, and other special appearances. Support a good cause or just support the Bears, and be in attendance at all their events including the upcoming NFL season by getting your tickets through StubHub.com.

Permalink - Posted in General on April 24, 2007 - Post a comment

Bears Do Good In Offseason

Players of the Chicago Bears participated in a reading incentive program called Tales to Tackle this last weekend at the Walter Payton center in Chicago.  Stanley, the mascot, alumni Mickey Pruitt, Robin Earl, and Allan Ellis as well as wide receiver Rashied Davis and kicker Robbie Gould led a football skills clinic and honored the 65 middle schoolers that qualified for the awards ceremony that followed.

Tales to Tackle challenged students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade to read three books a month for four consecutive months.  The books had to be approved and the students had to verify their reading to be eligible for the drawing of which 65 were randomly chosen to attend the clinic and ceremony.

In other Bears’ news safety Chris Harris, defensive end Israel Idonije joined Colts cornerback Nick Harper as part of Gridiron Greats Tour 2007 that visited Multinational Division Baghdad last week. The players wore desert and green camouflage in honor of the soldiers they would be hosting.  Soldiers lined up in Liberty Morale Welfare and Recreation building to get posters, footballs and other memorabilia signed.

Watch the Bears live this upcoming NFL season by getting your game tickets through StubHub.com.

Permalink - Posted in General on April 23, 2007 - Post a comment

Bears vs. The Colts Again

Did I hear Chicago Bears’ fans say they wanted a rematch of Super Bowl XLI?  The Indianapolis Colts announced their exhibition schedule leading up to 2007’s NFL season.  The four exhibition games will include one against the Bears, pitting the two Super Bowl teams against each other for a rematch.  Hopefully the Bears can pull a better score than the 29 to 17 final of this past February.

The last time the Bears faced the Colts in preseason was 2005 and the tables were turned.  The Bears led three out of four quarters with a final score of 24 to 17.  They return to the 2007 preseason with vengeance against the Colts’ strong offense.  Support the Bears throughout 2007 by attending their games.  Get your tickets through StubHub.com.

Permalink - Posted in General on April 19, 2007 - Post a comment

Urlacher Fined for Representing VitaminWater

Brian Urlacher of the Chicago Bears found out he was not allowed to wear paraphernalia of any organization that is not authorized by the NFL the hard way.  The league prohibits the advertising, or wearing of gear and clothing, of products that are not designated sponsors of the NFL.  For instance, Gatorade has long been the league’s official drink making Urlacher’s VitaminWater hat and drink a definite violation of policy costing him $100,000. 

This situation mimics that of the 1985 Chicago Bears’ quarterback Jim McMahon wearing an Adida’s headband during a playoff game.  Since the company was not a designated NFL sponsor he was fined $5,000.  Urlacher’s fine is the first to be of that amount and follows the standard of $100,000 being enforced when a violation occurs in association with Super Bowl, $50,000 with the Pro Bowl, and $10,000 if it occurs during the regular season.  Whatever the sponsors being worn by the Bears, you can get tickets to their 2007 NFL season at StubHub.com.

Permalink - Posted in General on April 18, 2007 - Post a comment

Bears’ Preview Despite Briggs

Last week the General Manager of the Chicago Bears, Jerry Angelo, denied the Washington Redskins’ the linebacker Lance Briggs trade.  Coach Lovie Smith has been vocally adamant about Briggs being part of the 2007 lineup, “For us to part with Lance it would take a little bit more than that,” referring to the Redskins’ offer.  The ProBowler may return to the Bears for $7.206 million for the 2007 season, but will return on his terms.  Unhappy about his franchise player label Briggs has threatened to sit out the first ten games if the label is not removed, or if he is not traded.  This would be within the league’s requirements of a franchise player, but probably not to the liking of the Bears. 

“Our offseason hasn’t started.  Now, if we have players who are not there for the voluntary work, then I’ll deal with that.  But until that happens, I’m not going to get into speculation about what people do,” Smith has said.  The lineup has been reviewed for the 2007 season with replacements for positions like Briggs being addressed the first day of the draft.  Backup safeties for Mike Brown and Adam Archuleta will be first day issues as well as a backup running back despite the talk that Adrian Peterson will back Cedric Benson.  Other offensive line and depth positions look like second day subjects.  No matter how they figure it Bears‘ 2007 NFL season tickets can be had at StubHub.com. 

Permalink - Posted in General on April 9, 2007 - Post a comment

Briggs/Bears Battle Continues

Monday the NFL released information stating preseason would kick-off with Chicago Bears playing the Houston Texans sometime between August 9th and 13th, 2007, but whether their despondently tagged franchise player Lance Briggs, number 55, will be joining them is a challenge that continues to be under review. General Manager Jerry Angelo is quoted, “I’m not ruling it out 100%, but in all probability, that’s not likely to happen” in regards to his interest of Briggs returning to the team, but showing lack of support to offer the player a long term contract.

Franchise player contract rules require Briggs only attend six games of the next season to qualify the demands of a year’s service allowing him to sit out the first ten games.  He employed this threat as a tactic to gain himself leverage with the Bears.  In effect he would be owed $7.2 million for the season, which is ten times that of his 2006 season salary. This change in contract would launch him into the top five highest paid players in his position. Despite the salary increase Briggs is at odds with the Bears over his franchise label due to the difficulty in marketing himself to other teams in the league making his chances of a trade bleak.

As the Chicago Bears review Briggs’ challenge the Washington Redskins stepped forward with an offer for a sixth overall draft pick for the number 31 overall pick of the Bears with consideration to Briggs. So far the Redskins are the only offer on the table and the Bears are dooming the offer to failure contesting the terms even up to the last day, today. Not ready to make a decision on the exchange, Angelo contacted the Redskins while rumors circulating that inferred they might request an additional linebacker from the Redskins to complete the transaction. Stay tuned for updates and get Bears‘ season tickets for 2007 on StubHub.com.

Permalink - Posted in General on April 3, 2007 - Post a comment