The Monday Morning Quarterback Starring SIU Lou

Views from Around the NFL

• Peyton Manning is going to be your NFL MVP again. He's the best quarterback in the NFL and if he had a defense that was at least showing up, his team would be even better. But in the defense of the defense, they are getting better. A team that can score at will and stop on the occasion is damn near unstoppable.
• OVERRATED: The Green Bay Fudge Packers, the team that is supposed to put up the biggest fight against Philly got their pants dropped, bent over and hit with a cane. They couldn't run, throw, catch or defend the run, throw or catch...simply that's why they fell flat on their face. If that is your competition, Philly might as well take an early flight to Jacksonville and let the AFC fight it out. The Viking once again will not win an NFL title due to the fact that they have lost to the Bears...again. This time they lost to their 4th string quarterback and former St. Louis Cardinals pitcher. I found it tough as a Cubs fan to cheer on Chad Hutchinson, but when you put on that Bears uniform and win, all of those past sins are put to rest. The only team that can give Philly a challenge is Michael Vick and friend, however, they got stomped 27-0 against Tampa in Tampa.
• UNDERRATED: The Chicago Bears defense. They have only allowed 75 points in their wins compared to 160 in their losses. Take out losses against the Colts (41-10) and Cowboys (21-7) the Bears have lost by a combined 34 points. In games the Bears win they have gave up 20 points only once. And in games that they have lost (including the Colts and Cowboys) they have given up 20 points 4 times (blowouts vs the Colts and Cowboys and close games against Detroit (16-20 L) and Minnesota (22-27 L). If the Bears could just be healthy for a complete year they have enough defense and an adaquate enough offense to make a run at a declining Brett Favre, a team in Minnesota that gives the Cubs a run for their money as chokers, and team with QB controversies between a #1 pick and a 4th round pick.
• Studs: Peyton Manning (425 yards and 3 TDs), Donovan McNabb (464 yds 5 TDs), Clinton Portis (148 yds 1 rush TD 1 rec TD), Terrell Owens (161 yds 1 TD) and the Tampa Bay Defense (shutout Michael Vick and the Falcons).
• Duds: Michael Vick (115 pass yards 80 rush yards; 2 lost fumbles 2 INTs), Ruben Droughns (14 att 38 yds), Isaac Bruce (2 rec 18 yds) and the Tennessee Titans team (after outscoring the Colts 24-17 in the 1st quarter, they didn't score again and gave up 34 points after that.)

News from The Northside

Reports from the Chicago Sun-Times indicate that the Cubs are close to re-signing SS Nomar Garciaparra and 2B Todd Walker to be the double play combination. Okay, so it isn't exactly going as I wished, but if I had a third choice in this (2nd choice would be moving Nomar to 2nd and signing Edgar Renteria) it would be BoTown Connection as my choice, as I wish it was for the second half of last year, but no, Dusty tried the G-Unit Remix (Garciaparra and Grudzielanek)....With Steroid reports running rampant in the MLB, trade talks between the Cubs and the Mets have cooled. Similarites between Sosa and admittant Jason Giambi are similar, but Sosa has no ties to BALCO, Bonds or J.G. Trade talks will resume this week at the Winter Meetings. Other teams interested in Sosa include the Angels, Dodgers, Rockies, Royals and Yankees....I wouldn't be suprised if Kyle Farnsworth found himself not in a Cubs uniform next year. There isn't one team not interested in a 6'4" right hander that can throw 100 MPH on demand. I would be suprised, as you should too, if the Cubs trade last years scapegoat LaTroy Hawkins. Despite a major push by fans to get him out of town, and an interest in several teams, LaTroy might comeback next year as baseball's best 8th inning man; but who's gonna pitch the 9th....Danny Kolb (39 saves with MIL), Shawn Chacon (35 saves with COL), Ugeth Urbina (21 saves with DET) and Robb Nen (43 saves in 2002) all remain options along with Ryan Dempster and JoBo. The baseball world now knows, if Jim Hendry wants it, he will get it, no matter what it takes....Don't get it twisted Cub fans, despite interest in Carlos Beltran, the Cubs will not trade Corey Patterson to make room. If the Cubs can drop Sammy Sosa, Patterson is willing to move to right field making room for Beltran in center. Who will play left though? Jason Dubois? David Kelton? Cliff Floyd? No one, and have Beltran and Patterson play the gaps? Too bad Chip Caray couldn't be around to say "SWUNG ON AND BELTRAN!" Someone tell me who the hell is Len Kasper. Why did we hire a former Marlin to do Cubs play-by-play. If he brings up the 2003 NLCS at all, there will be a mob of Steve Bartman's most feared enemies outside of the pressbox as if there was free beer being given out by supermodels at Wrigley Field.

That's all for now, holler!