Bears, Cutler Show Their Might on Monday Night

September 23, 2014 @ admin → No Comments

Random thoughts while wondering how thrilling it must be to have the same record as the Detroit Lions:

Video below of Sara Sampaio. Such hard work.

* Thanks to the Chicago Bears’ 27-19 victory over the host New York Jets, quarterback Jay Cutler improved his “Monday Night Football” record to 7-1. Bears coach Marc Trestman’s biggest challenge leading into Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field will be to convince Cutler that for the Sept. 28 game Monday will precede Sunday. And 1 p.m. really is night.

* The statistical-analysis crew around here worked well into the night and early morning and has determined with virtual certainty that a team that outscores its opponent in both halves stands an incredibly overwhelming chance to prevail. Well, that explains the Bears’ victory that featured running back Matt Forte running the ball 13 times for 33 yards (2.5 average) with a long of eight yards and Brandon Marshall catching one pass for six yards. OK, maybe not.

* Something says the Packers will pay more attention to Bears tight end Martellus Bennett (two touchdown receptions Monday night) than the Jets did.

* Speaking of scoring, that’s something the Cubs did not do against the St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Field, as right-hander Adam Wainwright went seven innings to win his 20th game in an 8-0 decision. Cubs shortstop Javier Baez was 0-for-4 with two strikeouts and hit into a game-ending double play. He has struck out 85 times in 191 at-bats (45 percent of the time). It remains unclear what — if anything — Baez is learning at the big-league level. Although a .168 batting average should teach something about humility.

* On the bright (?) side for the Cubs, pinch hitter Mike Olt drew his 25th walk of the season. Meaning he remains stuck at 98 strikeouts. Given the chance in the season’s final few games, he has an excellent shot at 100 for the season (in fewer than 250 at-bats, too). … Jorge Soler and Baez have 18 runs batted in (Baez in 191 at-bats and Soler in 68).

* If the Detroit Tigers fail to win the American League Central, they can blame the White Sox. OK, and certainly themselves. The visiting Sox, who prevailed 2-0 Monday on a Tyler Flowers two-run home run, lead the season series 9-8.

* Former Olympic decathlon gold-medal winner Bruce Jenner (yes, I remember the 1976 Games in Montreal) and Kris Jenner (matriarch of the Kardashian clan; and what a lovely legacy that is) apparently are divorcing. Keeping up with the Jenners/Kardashians is not for me, but it is for many others. What I don’t understand (OK, one of many things that I don’t understand) is those folks who post stories on Facebook or Twitter and the about the divorce report and then comment: “Who cares?” I don’t quite understand. If you don’t care, why post the item in the first place? Not that I care.

* The Chicago Blackhawks apparently will have a change in their shoot-the-puck format for games at the United Center. Well, we all knew the Hawks were dropping “The Stripper” music when the attractive female would shoot. Now comes news that at a new format is in place for three participants: youngster, representative from a Chicago Blackhawks Charities partner and an adult or celebrity guest. Here’s hoping the Hawks also take their family-oriented entertainment to another new level by taking the fighting out of their games as well. Oh. no? That’s OK? Because families want to take the sex but not the violence out of games? Makes sense. No? Well, not to some of us.

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