Author Archive

Chicago Bears Will Need to Be ‘Special’ Again in 2010

Posted: 5th July 2010 by Ed Leiser in NFL
Lost in the shuffle of a busy offseason and a disappointing 2009 season is one of the Chicago Bears' primary weapons: The special teams. I know, I know.  Special teams don't sound "sexy" to anyone, but over the course of a long, 16-game regular season, as many as three or four games can be decided strictly on special teams. It's not always who hits the 55-yard field goal with one second on the clock or who ...
NFL coaches want plenty of options for their teams, and Bears Head Coach Lovie Smith now has that for his defensive backfield. Yesterday, safety Danieal Manning signed a one-year tender offer he received from the Bears, an offer that will pay him $1.176 million next season. It is a good move for the Bears, who only a few weeks ago had a depleted secondary, but now boast a fairly deep and talented group. In ...
As expected, the Cleveland Cavaliers made quick work of the Chicago Bulls, eliminating them in five games of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. For the Cavs, this series was little more than a speed-bump on their road to a hopeful NBA Championship appearance. The Bulls, on the other hand, saw this series as just a means to get more experience (and a national stage to showcase Derrick Rose?) in big-game, playoff atmospheres. I'd ...
In one of the more bizarre moves you'll read about, the Cubs announced today that Opening Day starter Carlos Zambrano will be moved to the bullpen. Zambrano, 1-2 with a 7.45 ERA so far in 2010, figures to be the primary set-up man for closer Carlos Marmol. The Cubs' bullpen has been atrocious this season, and there is no question that a move had to be made.  You can't fault manager Lou Piniella ...
Let the games begin. After six months of action, the NBA's best weeks are ahead of us, and I for one can't wait. Every year, the NBA playoffs give us drama and star-power, and this year will be no exception. The East is top-heavy, with the Cavs, Magic, Hawks, and Celtics sitting on the top of the bracket. The fact that the Celtics are a No. 4 seed speaks to the improved depth of ...

Fantasy MLB: No Saving Grace for Demoted Closers

Posted: 15th April 2010 by Ed Leiser in MLB
  The baseball season isn't yet two weeks old, but there has been a flurry of activity already in bullpens across the country. In the past three days, four closers have been either demoted or placed on the disabled list, prompting four new pitchers to become must-adds for fantasy baseball players everywhere. The coveted saves category can make-or-break a fantasy baseball season and if you were paying attention this week, you just might ...

2010 NBA Playoffs: The Race For The No. 8 Seed in The East

Posted: 7th April 2010 by Ed Leiser in NBA
The NBA Playoffs have just one meaningful race left: the race for the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference (and future road-kill for the Cleveland Cavaliers). The Toronto Raptors hold a slim, one-game lead over the Chicago Bulls as NBA players everywhere are reserving their tee times for season's end in two weeks. Both Toronto and Chicago have five games left on their schedules, but the Bulls will only get two of ...
In 15 days, the NFL draft will begin its new three-day format, and disgruntled New York Jets fans will once again flood Radio City Music Hall in New York City screaming, "Why?!?!?" after every Jets' pick. For some teams, this year's draft will be much less meaningful; perhaps no team better sums up that statement than the Chicago Bears. General Manager Jerry Angelo has dealt away his first two picks in previous ...

The New York Mets Are Hoping David Is Wright In 2010

Posted: 26th March 2010 by Ed Leiser in MLB
You probably wouldn't call a player that hit .307, drove in 72 runs, and stole 27 bases a failure, but that's what many fantasy baseball players were caling New York Mets' third baseman David Wright last year. With the way Wright was viewed before last season—one of the game's true elite third baseman—those numbers just didn't cut it. He totaled just 10 home runs, down from his previous two seasons in which ...

Chicago Bears: A Tale of Two Running Backs

Posted: 26th March 2010 by Ed Leiser in NFL
If you're looking for an eventful NFL draft next month, you might want to look outside of the city of Chicago. The Bears have a draft plan that is about as exciting as a Nationals-Pirates spring training game. Of course, what they did a few weeks ago on the first day of free agency has lessened the blow, and draft-crazed fans will likely give the team a pass for not having ...