Random Thoughts - Offseason 2024

[BEAR FACE DOWN ARROW]

Have to say as much as I hated the Chicago Nascar event last year, this year was run significantly better. Last year they had multiple blocks closed for weeks ahead of the event and took forever to reopen. This year it was really minimal beforehand, and they've already got N LSD open with S LSD supposedly opening up later today. Additionally I know a lot of people and business that are right there and this year they've all been getting daily updates on the work.  Still think it's a poor fit for a Chicago event (the stands were quite bare again) but at least the process has improved.  Only realized how little it's impacted me today, when last year it was literally adding hours to my days for a couple weeks.  

And Sug, I totally subscribe to the idea that any minor inconvenience is a great reason to make massive changes, and I am not talking ironically.  Got to say adding a pantry would probably take me weeks while I obsessed over minor details.  True respect for guys who can take trade-speed and apply it to their own homes. 

[dll2000]

3 minutes ago, BEAR FACE DOWN ARROW said:

Have to say as much as I hated the Chicago Nascar event last year, this year was run significantly better. Last year they had multiple blocks closed for weeks ahead of the event and took forever to reopen. This year it was really minimal beforehand, and they've already got N LSD open with S LSD supposedly opening up later today. Additionally I know a lot of people and business that are right there and this year they've all been getting daily updates on the work.  Still think it's a poor fit for a Chicago event (the stands were quite bare again) but at least the process has improved.  Only realized how little it's impacted me today, when last year it was literally adding hours to my days for a couple weeks.  

And Sug, I totally subscribe to the idea that any minor inconvenience is a great reason to make massive changes, and I am not talking ironically.  Got to say adding a pantry would probably take me weeks while I obsessed over minor details.  True respect for guys who can take trade-speed and apply it to their own homes. 

I am trying to picture it.  I sit in some stands at a point in race and some race cars buzz by me every once in a while and I have no idea who is winning or what is happening overall?  I guess unless I was following online.  But I can’t see big picture with my eyes.  

I don’t get the appeal of that.  I guess that is how long bike races work and they are popular in Europe.  
 

 

[BEAR FACE DOWN ARROW]

35 minutes ago, dll2000 said:

I am trying to picture it.  I sit in some stands at a point in race and some race cars buzz by me every once in a while and I have no idea who is winning or what is happening overall?  I guess unless I was following online.  But I can’t see big picture with my eyes.  

I don’t get the appeal of that.  I guess that is how long bike races work and they are popular in Europe.  
 

 

I think there's a spectacle element to being there; the cars generate a ton of sensation between the noise and the smells and the vibrations through the ground.  People really love it and follow the storylines and minute technical details.  Keep in mind I'm not a fan but if you squint you can at least understand the people who follow it.  If I was going to get into anything I think it would be F1 or probably rally racing.  I had the opportunity to drive someone's elses car on a rally track and I'm a bit embarassed to say I got totally confused by the course like 5 turns in the first time, and that's with someone sitting next to you describing the turns and what you should be doing. 

 

 I think given good production and some exposure people can become fans of just about anything.  What I really don't get is people who are into ALL sports like year round. I can barely keep up with the Bears, much less the other teams in Chicago so can't even imagine just being plugged into everything and living ESPN life.  At least the Bears have the decency to keep their season short by being largely playoff irrelevant.  Someimtes I completely block out the way they made the playoffs and had that one game against the Saints. 

[dll2000]

22 minutes ago, BEAR FACE DOWN ARROW said:

I think there's a spectacle element to being there; the cars generate a ton of sensation between the noise and the smells and the vibrations through the ground.  People really love it and follow the storylines and minute technical details.  Keep in mind I'm not a fan but if you squint you can at least understand the people who follow it.  If I was going to get into anything I think it would be F1 or probably rally racing.  I had the opportunity to drive someone's elses car on a rally track and I'm a bit embarassed to say I got totally confused by the course like 5 turns in the first time, and that's with someone sitting next to you describing the turns and what you should be doing. 

 

 I think given good production and some exposure people can become fans of just about anything.  What I really don't get is people who are into ALL sports like year round. I can barely keep up with the Bears, much less the other teams in Chicago so can't even imagine just being plugged into everything and living ESPN life.  At least the Bears have the decency to keep their season short by being largely playoff irrelevant.  Someimtes I completely block out the way they made the playoffs and had that one game against the Saints. 

When I was in college I could tell you most of starters on good NCAA basketball and football teams.  Who the top recruits were in each.

I would go to or watch the IL state championship games in HS football and basketball.

I watched all the NFL games that were on TV.  I watched multiple college football and basketball games on Saturdays and for basketball throughout week.

I watched a lot of NBA games.

I watched major golf tournaments.

I went to about 3-4 Cubs games a year (in law school more because I lived in the City) and watched them on TV occasionally.  

As an adult with kids now I am down to just NFL games and I don't even watch them in real time.   A lot of them I watched in 'condensed view' which is about 30-40 minutes.   Life is just too busy.

 

[soulman]

13 hours ago, dll2000 said:

I am trying to picture it.  I sit in some stands at a point in race and some race cars buzz by me every once in a while and I have no idea who is winning or what is happening overall?  I guess unless I was following online.  But I can’t see big picture with my eyes.  

I don’t get the appeal of that.  I guess that is how long bike races work and they are popular in Europe.  
 

 

Yup, seems kinda pointless.  I think most people go to NASCAR races to watch the big pileups.  The wrecks are of more interest than the race.

NASCAR= Non-Athletic Sport, Centered Around Rednecks

[soulman]

Every time I see this thread title I think of it being about some 75 year old Cowboy Poet Philosopher by that name.  You know.  Like "Tales from the Campfire" the wit and wisdom of Random Thoughts.

[dll2000]

Bears fans are pissed about amount of practices Nate Davis misses.  This should be interesting.

 

[dll2000]

Whelp.  I forgot to try to get camp tickets.  Looks like its just Max for me.

A lot of folks on X saying they didn't get them.   Bots were in full force.  

The tiny capacity is a joke.

 

[BEAR FACE DOWN ARROW]

On 7/8/2024 at 8:11 AM, BEAR FACE DOWN ARROW said:

Have to say as much as I hated the Chicago Nascar event last year, this year was run significantly better. Last year they had multiple blocks closed for weeks ahead of the event and took forever to reopen. This year it was really minimal beforehand, and they've already got N LSD open with S LSD supposedly opening up later today. Additionally I know a lot of people and business that are right there and this year they've all been getting daily updates on the work.  Still think it's a poor fit for a Chicago event (the stands were quite bare again) but at least the process has improved.  Only realized how little it's impacted me today, when last year it was literally adding hours to my days for a couple weeks.  

And Sug, I totally subscribe to the idea that any minor inconvenience is a great reason to make massive changes, and I am not talking ironically.  Got to say adding a pantry would probably take me weeks while I obsessed over minor details.  True respect for guys who can take trade-speed and apply it to their own homes. 

Serves me right for saying something nice. So southbound Lakeshore is still an absolute mess, and yesterday while I was driving with no other cars around on North Lake Shore Drive a weird bushing thing came bouncing over the guardrail and dented my hood and crash my windshield. I spent the rest of the day driving around watching the cracks get slightly bigger every time I'd hit a bump. On top of that one of my customers owns a boutique hotel downtown and he was complaining about how this was the worst 4th of July weekend they've had since 2020.

[soulman]

4 hours ago, dll2000 said:

Bears fans are pissed about amount of practices Nate Davis misses.  This should be interesting.

 

Can he play OG because we already have a starting LT and RT?  He's also coming off an injury so can he even play at anywhere near the level he once played at?

Why would Bahktiari sign with the Bears for short money if he's not gonna start and why would the Bears spend cap money on a position they already have starters at who are on rookie deals and need to add another DL far more than another OL.

If you ask me this kid doing the podcast sounds to me like he's been sucking on too much helium.  He's an air head.

[dll2000]

32 minutes ago, soulman said:

Can he play OG because we already have a starting LT and RT?  He's also coming off an injury so can he even play at anywhere near the level he once played at?

Why would Bahktiari sign with the Bears for short money if he's not gonna start and why would the Bears spend cap money on a position they already have starters at who are on rookie deals and need to add another DL far more than another OL.

If you ask me this kid doing the podcast sounds to me like he's been sucking on too much helium.  He's an air head.

LOL.  I just saw the tweet.  I almost never push play on those things.

 

[StLunatic88]

5 hours ago, dll2000 said:

Bears fans are pissed about amount of practices Nate Davis misses.  This should be interesting.

 

Feels like pretty different situations. One is on a multi year deal, and was getting Top 10 money (AAV) for the position at the time. While the other would be trying to resurrect his career on probably a 1 year deal (maybe an extra insurance year for the team). 

To me this type of move would show that we arent all in on Braxton at LT. He's not going to be just given the job with 1.1 back there. I still think he is maxed out talent wise, which is very good for a small school Day 3 pick, but thats not something to blindly rely on at LT

Edited July 9 by StLunatic88

[dll2000]

Just now, StLunatic88 said:

Feels like pretty different situations. One is on a multi year deal, and was getting Top 10 money (AAV) for the position at the time. While the other would be trying to resurrect his career on probably a 1 year deal (maybe an extra insurance year for the team). 

To me it continues to show that we arent all in on Braxton at LT. He's not going to be just given the job with 1.1 back there. I still think he is maxed out talent wise, which is very good for a small school Day 3 pick, but thats not something to blindly rely on at LT

I mean Braxton is a flawed LT still.  He is mostly okay, but still gets beat badly at times.  

I believe if Joe Alt was on the board at 9 he would be a Chicago Bear and Rome Odunze would not be.  

But that being said I am not sure there is a lot of fire for Bakhtiari.   They may be kicking tires like a lot of teams and are willing for right price, but they aren't going to spend much on him IMO.

Why would you?  Huge injury risk.  

[BEAR FACE DOWN ARROW]

2 hours ago, StLunatic88 said:

Feels like pretty different situations. One is on a multi year deal, and was getting Top 10 money (AAV) for the position at the time. While the other would be trying to resurrect his career on probably a 1 year deal (maybe an extra insurance year for the team). 

To me this type of move would show that we arent all in on Braxton at LT. He's not going to be just given the job with 1.1 back there. I still think he is maxed out talent wise, which is very good for a small school Day 3 pick, but thats not something to blindly rely on at LT

What do you think about the possibility that they are instead super worried about the center and guards, and are thinking to move Braxton in to guard and get an LT?  

The move would be super odd to me, but maybe Davis is upsetting them and they are scrambling to fill the line inside. 

[soulman]

I'll wrap up.  JMHO only.

I don't see Braxton Jones as an OG.  Not when his biggest weakness is handling power.  He's pretty much a finesse type LT with over the top athleticism.  He's improved each year and Pace loves the guy.  Plus he drafted Amengadjie who should be more able to convert to OG.  He's bigger and plays with far more power.

Unless Bahktiari is willing to take a very cheap one year deal to compete for a swing OT role I just don't see it.  I never say never but color me doubtful.