[CBFF] Bears will open '08 season at Colts' new stadium -- chicagotribune.com - Sent Using Google Toolbar

Tue Apr 1 06:19:59 MDT 2008

Chris,
where is the stadium in relation to the old RCA Dome? Have they moved
out to the 'burbs?

V

On Tue, Apr 1, 2008 at 6:32 AM, Tom Shannon <tshanno at gmail.com> wrote:
> Bears will open '08 season at Colts' new stadium --
>  chicagotribune.com<http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/cs-080331-chicago-bears-indianapolis-colts-nfl,1,7572629,print.story>
>
>
>  www.chicagotribune.com/sports/cs-080331-chicago-bears-indianapolis-colts-nfl,1,4116503.story
>  chicagotribune.com Bears will open '08 season at Colts' new stadium NFL
>  delivers prime time opener at Colts' new home
>
>  By Dan Pompei
>
>  Tribune reporter
>
>  10:14 PM CDT, March 31, 2008
>
>  PALM BEACH, Fla.
>   [image: Click here to find out
>  more!]<http://ad.doubleclick.net/click;h=v8/3695/0/0/%2a/m;189407201;0-0;0;12925921;4307-300/250;24942676/24960529/1;;%7Eokv=;ptype=ps;slug=cs-080331-chicago-bears-indianapolis-colts-nfl;rg=r;zc=60605;by=1964;gr=M;ref=chicagotribunecom;pos=1;dcopt=ist;sz=300x250;tile=1;%7Esscs=%3fhttp://www.chicagotribune.com/classified/realestate/newhomes/>
>  <http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/trb.chicagotribune/sports;ptype=ps;slug=cs-080331-chicago-bears-indianapolis-colts-nfl;rg=r;zc=60605;by=1964;gr=M;ref=chicagotribunecom;pos=1;sz=300x250;tile=1;ord=67095604?>
>
>  runtime:topic id=" ORSPT000036"> The Bears will begin the 2008 season the
>  way they ended the 2006 season—on a national stage against the
>  <http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/sports/indianapolis-colts-ORSPT000044.topic>Indianapolis
>  Colts<http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/sports/indianapolis-colts-ORSPT000044.topic>
>  .
>
>  Except this time, they won't be playing in the
>  <http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/sports/football/super-bowl-EVSPR000004.topic>Super
>  Bowl<http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/sports/football/super-bowl-EVSPR000004.topic>
>  .
>
>  The <http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/sports/football/national-football-league-ORSPT000007.topic>
>  NFL<http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/sports/football/national-football-league-ORSPT000007.topic>announced
>  Monday that the Bears and Colts will be playing in a nationally
>  televised Sunday night game that will be the first regular-season game to be
>  played at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
>
>  "The Super Bowl was a long time ago," Bears coach
>  <http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/sports/football/lovie-smith-PESPT008481.topic>Lovie
>  Smith<http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/sports/football/lovie-smith-PESPT008481.topic>said
>  at the NFL meetings at the Breakers Hotel. "It's the Chicago
>  Bears <http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/>versus
>  the Indianapolis Colts. We assume they're going to be a really good
>  football team and I hope we can get back to where we belong."
>
>  Defeating the Colts in a crazed atmosphere on Sept. 7 will be a tall order
>  for the Bears if they play like the Bears of last season. Smith sees it this
>  way: "We'll get a chance to see exactly what type of football team we have
>  right away."
>
>  >From that standpoint, Smith says he is excited to be presented with this
>  opportunity.
>
>  "Any time you have a chance to play in front of a national audience, you're
>  excited," he said. "We have a history with the Colts, I have a history with
>  the Colts. And it's the opening of their new stadium. But the opening game
>  of a new season in itself is enough to get excited about. You can prepare
>  all off-season knowing you're going against them ... [that] adds a little
>  more to it."
>
>  The personal history Smith referred to is with Colts coach Tony Dungy. Smith
>  was an assistant for the Bucs when Dungy was their head coach.
>
>  Smith also is serving with Dungy on the coaches subcommittee of the NFL's
>  competition committee this year. Being invited to serve on the subcommittee
>  is a prestigious assignment. Eagles coach Andy Reid and Jaguars coach
>  <http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/sports/football/jack-del-rio-PESPT008440.topic>Jack
>  Del Rio<http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/sports/football/jack-del-rio-PESPT008440.topic>are
>  the others on the subcommittee.
>
>  "As coaches, we all have ideas," Smith said. "It's good to see how the inner
>  workings go."
>
>  Smith is advocating that the NFL adopt a proposal to allow headset
>  communication between the sideline and a defensive player. Indications are
>  the rule will be adopted.
>
>  "To me, it's an easy decision," Smith said. "You have one side of the
>  football that can communicate between a coach and player—why not do it on
>  both sides?"
>
>  Smith also is in favor of a proposal that would rewrite the force-out rule
>  so that the only time a catch out of bounds would be allowed is when a
>  player is actually held and carried out of bounds.
>
>  The league also announced it awarded 32 compensatory picks for the April
>  draft, including three seventh-round picks to the Bears. The Bears now have
>  11 draft picks.
>
>  Compensatory picks are given to teams that lose more unrestricted free
>  agents or better free agents than it signed the previous year. Last year the
>  Bears lost <http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/sports/alfonso-boone-PESPT000699.topic>Alfonso
>  Boone<http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/sports/alfonso-boone-PESPT000699.topic>,
>  Ian Scott, Todd Johnson and Justin Gage, while signing only
>  <http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/sports/football/anthony-adams-PESPT08285.topic>Anthony
>  Adams<http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/sports/football/anthony-adams-PESPT08285.topic>
>  .
>
>  In other news, Commissioner Roger Goodell announced the sale of 50 percent
>  of <http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/sports/football/miami-dolphins-ORSPT000189.topic>the
>  Dolphins<http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/sports/football/miami-dolphins-ORSPT000189.topic>to
>  New York real estate tycoon Steve Ross has been approved unanimously.
>  Ross will pay approximately $550 million for half of the team.
>
>
>  <http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/economy-business-finance/h.-wayne-huizenga-PEBSL000167.topic>Wayne
>  Huizenga<http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/economy-business-finance/h.-wayne-huizenga-PEBSL000167.topic>will
>  remain the managing partner of the team until he wants to cede control
>  to Ross. When that will occur is up to Huizenga, but Ross has options to
>  eventually purchase up to 95 percent of the Dolphins.
>
>  dpompei at tribune.com
>
>  Copyright (c) 2008, Chicago Tribune <http://www.chicagotribune.com/>
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