[CBFF] Long goodbye -- chicagotribune.com

[Tom Shannon]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: cbff-bounces at chicagobearsfanforum.com [mailto:cbff-
> bounces at chicagobearsfanforum.com] On Behalf Of Matt Langschwager
> Sent: Wednesday, January 02, 2008 4:25 AM
> To: post at chicagobearsfanforum.com
> Subject: Re: [CBFF] Long goodbye -- chicagotribune.com
> 
> The fact that I put the Bears in that means that I admit they had bad
> QBing this year/don't have an obvious #1, and only proves part of your
> point.  Your main point is more extreme than I care to accept.  Let's
> break down the rest of the detritus in more detail, though.
> 
>   Niners: A. Smith, T. Dilfer, S. Hill, C. Weinke, D. Olson
>   Smith will never live up to his #1 picking, and after a decent 2006,
> had a Rex-like fall into atrocity this year.

Alex Smith is young and still learning and was hurt.  There's still hope in
SF.

>   Ultra-Pessimist forecast: Must admit Bears are slightly better than
> this mess.
> 
>   Panthers: J. Delhomme, V. Testaverde, D. Carr, M. Moore, B. Basanez

We can only hope to find a Jake Delhomme.  Far better as a starter than
anything the Bears have.

>   Falcons: J. Harrington, B. Leftwich, C. Redman, D. Shockley  ...oh,
> and M. Vick

As bad or worse than the Bears.

>   Vikings: T. Jackson, B. Bollinger, K. Holcomb

Jackson is young and still learning.  There's still hope in Minnesota.

>   Ravens: S. McNair, K. Boller, T. Smith, C. Finnerty

As bad or worse than the Bears though most would like McNair better than
anything they have.

>   Jets: C. Pennington, K. Clemens, M. Tuiasosopo
>   Pennington's probably gone this offseason.

He probably is but he's still better than anything the Bears have.
Nevertheless the Jets were not satisfied and found Clemens.  Neither should
the Bears be.

>   Dolphins: T. Green, C. Lemon, J. Beck, C. Bramlet, 2008 first overall
> pick?
>   Do I really even have to write details here?

Yeah, I disagree with you on this one.  I think Green is better than
anything the Bears have.  There QB situation was degraded due to injury.  In
terms of their starter Vs any of the Bear potential starters, advantage
Miami.

>   Giants: E. Manning, J. Lorenzen, A. Wright

Manning is inconsistent but IMO still better than anything the Bears have.

>   The above analysis leads me to believe, Tom, that you are willing to
> give non-Bears QBs more leeway than the trio we have.

Well, I don't think I do.  I put the Bears anywhere from the worst to the
third to last.

> I think
> the Bears still could actually get worse with change (remember Kordell
> in 2003?) and that we haven't hit rock bottom yet (not that we
> necessarily will).

If they did what I suggest, they'd still have any one of the three QBs they
currently have.  Since they're all pretty much the same guy, the Bears
wouldn't be worse off except possibly in terms of depth.

> dare I say it, more out of Rex, too.  I
> think the benching did him good,

He came back as a game manager.  If that's what you want, Griese is under
contract.  I'm aiming for at least the possibility of something better.

 and a legitimate QB derby in the
> preseason with Orton (and maybe the draftee) would benefit both of
> them.

I'm betting right now Orton wins.

Tom S.