DERRICK ROSE AND HIS BAND OF BROTHERS

Nice video about DRose and his brothers...


Derrick Rose And His Band Of Brothers from AboutFace Media on Vimeo.

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COLLEGE BASKETBALL PICKS

Posted Record
(19-20-1)
(1-1 LOCKS)
Overall +2 Units

All 1 units...
FSU +5
Western Carolina -3
U of I -6
New Mexico State +5

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Bears 2010 - Week 12 Recap/Grades: SOARING HIGH - by Anil P.

If you were not a believer before, you must be now. Include myself on that list of fans that jumped on to the bandwagon that this is a legitimate team in the NFC. Most fans saw the defense play well the entire year but still had reservations about it's ability against a top tier team. Sure the Bears beat the Packers in Week 3 but after that it was likes of Carolina and Buffalo. Offensively this team has been up and down with riding on the shoulders of its franchise QB. Some questioned whether the Orton and multiple 1st round picks for Cutler/Knox trade was a good one. Cutler simply shined and the Bears scored the most points all year. The Eagles were a true litmus test of where the Bears stand and after eleven games they are the #2 seed in the NFC currently and in sole possession of the NFC North.

Jay Cutler had the best game of his career on Sunday afternoon. The 146.2 QB rating was the highest he's ever posted. JayCut completed 67% of his passes and threw for four touchdowns with only twenty-one pass attempts which is the lowest on the season in a complete game. Make no mistake about the trade for the franchise QB. As good as Kyle Orton has been playing, he's not making that first touchdown pass to Earl Bennett where it was threaded between the safety and cornerback. He's not making the second touchdown pass to Earl Bennett on and in and out off of his back foot. He's not making a 9-yard run on a busted play like Cutler did in the 1st Quarter. Sunday was the Cutler Bears fans were hoping for when the trade went down on in April of 2009. Validation for a QB, Coordinator and a 8-3 playoff bound team has just occurred.

NOTES:

Tony Siragusa is...

Useless. I'm not a big college anything fan but I do appreciate Erin Andrews.

Vick looked...

Good

Like a video game with his spin move on Chris Harris to go from a sack to a 3-yard gain

Elusive as he evaded multiple sacks with his athletic ability

Like the MVP with the last three Eagles drives resulting in FG, FG and TD to get within five points

Julius Peppers is a bad man...

Key sack on third down forced a field goal. His constant pressure by him and the whole defensive line was felt. Fantastic signing Angelo.

Field is torn up

Easily the worst field in the NFL. Even Siragusa and Moose Johnston talked about the field conditions. Moose spoke to a unheralded fact about a Dallas game back in his playing days and how changing the spikes on the cleats led to a difference in ability on the field. I don't recall seeing many Bears players having an issue with the mud and sand but plenty of Eagles defenders were slipping including Joselio Hansen on the Knox touchdown.

Jeff George or Brett Favre?

Comparisons to George have been talked about but Cutler is one win away from his first winning season and has a realistic chance to prove himself in the playoffs. The left handed shovel pass was very Favreish.

O-line improves but still sucks

Forte had two big runs but otherwise his YPC is only 2.3 and four sacks on Cutler were breakdowns either physically, technically or mentally. Omiyale had his worst game of the season as he let up two sacks to Trent Cole.

Grades

QB

Cutler had the best games of his career. Very few shaky throws and he made plays with his feet. This is what Bears fans were waiting for. #6 completed 14 of his 21 passes for 247 yards with a gaudy 11.8 Y/A. Most importantly the threw four touchdowns with zero interceptions. Overall Grade: A

RB

Forte carried the load here with 117 yards on the ground. Two big plays stand out with the 61 and 28 yard runs respectively. He also chipped in two receptions for 22 yards. Forte's big run in the first forced the Eagles to respect the running attack for the entire game. Chester is nowhere to be found in production as of late with -3 yards on the day. Overall Grade: A

WR

This unit did well as a ton of yards were earned after the catch. Knox and Bennett both had big plays after a curl route. One of which for Bennett made him flex right after...the most emotion seen out of the man from Vandy. In the start of the third quarter, Hester contributed 80 yards of that three play touchdown drive. 46 yards on the return and a 34 yard reception on a school yard play with Cutler. This unit totaled 210 yards in the air on ten receptions with three touchdowns. Overall Grade: A

TE

Martz had the tight ends protecting for most of the game. Both Manumaleuna and Olsen were held back to help out the offensive line. Olsen had one reception which was the athletic touchdown pass in the third quarter. Manumaleuna's lone reception looked more like a offensive lineman making a play. Still, six points was created by this unit regardless of its lack of statistics. Overall Grade: B

O-Line

This unit played better and created a few holes when needed. Still some mental breakdowns by Webb and Garza led to easy sacks on Cutler. Omiyale was owned by Trent Cole as he allowed two sacks on speed rushes and bad techniques. Omiyale was also whistled for a false start. The Chicago Bears lead the NFL in false starts. On the ground in the fourth quarter when the Bears needed to run out the clock, the line was only able to help the running game attain three yards and that doesn't include the two yards lost on Cutler's kneel downs. Overall Grade: C

D-Line

Quite simple the MVP of the game is the whole unit. Vick was never comfortable in the pocket with constant pressure from all involved. Peppers, Adams, Toeainia, Idonijie, Harris and Melton all stood out and made plays. Melton and Idonije each had half a sack in the first drive on a stunt play between the two. Melton drove up in the gap and took on both the guard and tackle while Idonije ran right around the backside. The Harris to Harris connection took place in the 2nd quarter with the Eagles driving. Tommie drove right up the gut and got a paw on the ball for a PD which landed in Chris's hands. This led to a Bennett TD and was a 14 point swing in favor for the Bears. Peppers is earning every penny this year. His sack in the third quarter was the easiest all year as he came in unblocked. His constant motor and tripping up Vick to end a drive displayed how he does not take a play off. Adams and Toeainia each had a sack as well. Overall Grade: A

LB

This unit is usually the most dependable and they had a good but not great game. Urlacher stood out for his pass deflection in the endzone but on the next play the touchdown pass to Maclin in the 2nd quarter was thrown right by him as well. The forth quarter touchdown to Celek was good coverage by #54 but still was on his watch. The safeties were playing back for most of the game leaving the LB's to take care of the run. McCoy had 53 yards on only 10 carries but that's a hefty 5.3 average. Overall Grade: B

DB

Safeties stayed out of the box for majority of the game to take away the deep threat. In the 2nd quarter on after the third Chicago touchdown they were playing 30 yards back the whole game. Harris led this group with two pass deflections and one interception. Major Wright led in tackles with four and Manning had some interesting routes to fill gaps. I still like #38 sitting on the bench and returning kickoffs here and there versus being the free safety for this squad. Not much work for the cornerbacks this game as most of the Eagles plays were down the middle. With that said, there was still 333 yards allowed in the air with two passing touchdowns. Overall Grade: B

Special Teams

Both Gould and Maynard did well here with Robbie hitting his lone FG from 23 yards and Brad averaging 43.6 on five punts. The return game was great with Manning and Hester each having a return of 44 and 46 respectively. However, some flags were thrown on the returns negating one by both Manning and Hester and also on coverage as well. Coverage was also just poor with allowing DeSean Jackson a 36 yard return early in the game. Overall Grade: B

Coaching

Lovie is now 4-0 after the bye week and the mantra of balance is holding still. Martz essentially could do no wrong this game with zero turnovers from the offense as they didn't put the defense in a bad position. The ability to make big plays down the field and still go to the running game speaks to the maturation of the players on the field for the Martz offense. What really stands out is the ten minute, seventeen play drive in the third quarter. While it only resulted in a field goal it still took plenty of clock off. It was apparently needed as the Eagles scored on the next three possessions. Defensively this unit was impressive for three quarters. Once it had it's lead, it went back into a strict Cover-2 defense to just kill clock and hold the lead. Vick did adapt and start throwing a lot of underneath routes and dump offs to get yards. Still the defense was huge in the first half and made the lone turnover in the game which was the turning point. Overall Grade: A

The NFC North Leading Chicago Bears are 8-3 and head to Detroit on Sunday. If you are going to be a playoff team you need to beat the teams that are struggling. The last time the Bears had a big win was in Week 3. Week 4 was against the Giants and the Bears crapped out and lost their QB for a game and half. Complete focus and execution was had Sunday and hopefully this consistency that was born out of the bye week continues. Nothing will be easy for this 2010 team as all away games are divisional opponents and both home games are against the Jets and Patriots who are both playoff bound. Still this past weekend proved to me that the Bears are a legit contender in the NFC and a team on the rise. Bear Down!

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MARK'S KADDY KORNER - Champions Tour Q-School, TPC at Eagle Trace, Coral Springs, FL - by Mark Huber

Driving across Alligator Alley Saturday morning I was thinking about the 7 or 8 Q-Schools I’ve attended over the years and only successfully graduated from one. There were three final stages on the PGA Tour, two on the Champions Tour, and a few second stage visits. I wouldn’t consider myself a grizzled vet at these things but seen enough to know no one really wants to be here. They are a necessary evil for struggling tour pros and a glimmer of hope for club professionals and low handicap amateurs.

Carney wanted me there for a Saturday afternoon practice round and I actually was looking forward to it. I had a good feeling about the week; Mark was hungry to get back on tour after ten years of running golf tournaments and announcing for Golf Channel and PGA Tour Radio on XM. He had been playing a bit and working hard on his game since April, I sincerely thought we had a shot at one of the five spots, at the worst one of the seven conditional exemptions.

TPC at Eagle Trace had grown up since my last visit in 1991. There were houses lining every fairway, oak trees swaying in the light breeze, and a few changes to the course. We played nine holes Saturday afternoon with two members and garnered a little inside perspective. They told us a new greens keeper was recently hired and his budget was cut. The spotty fairways and rough greens certainly showed it, they gave us trouble all week.

We met 7:00 Sunday morning for our first official practice, which means Mark couldn’t wear shorts. It’s kind of strange seeing these guys in shorts but they are just like the rest of us and would prefer shorts and tee shirts over this pro golf garb. We were the first cars in the lot and I watched Carney get out of his Tahoe then suddenly sit down on the door step. Thinking he was talking on the phone I finished putting on my shoes then walked over. The agonized painful expression told me his back was out, he didn’t have to say a thing.

He struggled to the clubhouse, tried to hit some balls and few putts, and then made arrangements with a chiropractor. I had the day off but still had a lot of work to do. My hip was barking but I needed to check the course thoroughly and try to sell my Priceline hotel room. Luckily we could use carts while charting the course but there were no takers on the room. An old high school friend lived close by and wanted me to stay with him but I was stuck at an Extended Stay Deluxe a half hour away.

It’s not the way you like to start the week but Carney assured me the back issue was temporary and he’d be ready to go Tuesday. Our Monday practice round was a bit subdued but he seemed to loosen up, the swing stretched a bit longer, and he wasn’t wincing at impact. I was watching him closely on the range and sneaking a peak at the other contestants during our practice session. There were all shapes and sizes, swings that didn’t come from instructors or film sessions, cigars and cigarettes everywhere, and not a sports psychologist in sight. It was like the good old days without a large crowd. This week there are no TV cameras, a handful of local spectators, and not much adrenaline flowing. There is no one cheering you on, it’s all player, caddy, and maybe a family friend in your corner.

We started on the back nine, bogied the par five tenth with a wedge in our hand then followed with a bogey on the eleventh. Not the way you want to start but Carney righted his swing after a mutual pep talk and battled through the round. We finished a couple over despite the excitement on our fifteenth hole.

Steve Haskins caddy, Jeff, a friend not a regular caddy, had been acting a bit strange all day.  After Steve missed his par putt Jeff let out a powerful groan then collapsed on the green convulsing and bleeding from the mouth. I was standing next to him and with assistance from Jim and Jill Rutledge we were able to roll him on his side, comfort him, and kept him from swallowing his tongue until the ambulance arrived 15-20 minutes later. Carney saved par after the EMTs carted Jeff to the ambulance and headed for the hospital. The group finished the round in a mild stage of shock but we managed three pars.

Our week wasn’t much fun after that. Carney gutted it out but the game just isn’t quite there yet. Carney drove the ball great but we missed a lot of greens with wedges in our hand, our putting was lackluster, and we could never get anything going. A little short game practice, a better back, and some tournament experience is all he needs to be competitive out here. He was extremely disappointed but never gave up all week.

After we packed up I wandered back to the clubhouse, grabbed a box lunch, and watched the contenders finish up. The Q-School scoreboard is always surrounded by the hopefuls waiting for their card. Steve Haskins was there after shooting a good round Friday and on the cusp of getting his card. Jeff was dismissed from the hospital Thursday night. I was in his room when the neurologist told him all tests were negative, he needed to cut out the drinking, and his seizure was induced by dehydration. Believe me; this caddy took notice of the doctor’s orders.

Well, the season is over. It wasn’t my best and it was far from the worst. A wheelchair met me at the gate when I landed in Chicago. There will be no deer hunting, no beer, and a lot of rehabbing this hip before and after surgery. I need to get physically and mentally prepared for next season, the hip replacement will be a big start.


Mark Huber is a semi-retired PGA Tour caddy doing a little writing. You can contact him at markskaddykorner@gmail.com or check outwww.MarksKaddyKorner.com for more stories about golf and life. He's caddied twenty-one years on every tour for over fifty players mainly Bob Murphy, Ray Floyd, Doug Tewell, and worked for Tom Watson twice in 2009. Mark grew up in Havana, IL attended Illinois State on a baseball scholarship and played semi-pro ball with the Eau Claire Cavaliers after spring training with the White Sox way back when. He is a die-hard Cubs fan. Mark has freelanced for many sites, including ESPN. He will now be contributing his insights to Docksquad Sports...

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COLLEGE BASKETBALL PICKS

Posted Record
(18-20-1)
(1-1 LOCKS)
+0 units

Today I like ND/Wiscy to go under. I will be playing under 127 for 2 units, gluck.  (2units)

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LEBRON JAMES COACH KILLER?

Check out Lebron bumping his Coach on his way back to his bench...



First James got Mike Brown fired, now he shoulder checks his new Coach when they are losing vs the Mavs! Shadyyyyy!

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STONE COLD LEAD PIPE DOCKS - WEEK 12

Girl of the Week - Kelly Brook

Suman's Pix:
(Last Week 1-3-1)
(Overall 25-28-2)

Jaguars +7.5
Buccaneers +8
Browns -9
Rams/Broncos over 43.5
49ers -1


Vik's Pix:
(Last Week 1-3-1)
(Overall 25-25-5)


Lines I got these bets in at...


Raiders -2
Chargers +3 (bought hook)
Vikings/Redskins under 44
Vikings -1 (bought hook)
Titans/Texans over 46


gluck playaz

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BULLS WIN! DERRICK ROSE BREAKS TYREKE EVANS' ANKLE

What a great night! The Bulls win again with another comeback victory, this time against the Kings.  More importantly, the Bulls finished the Circus trip with a 4-3 record, their first winning record on the trip since the Jordan Years!

Of course the Bulls two best players led the way tonight, did you expect anything else?  One night after DRose couldn't play because of a strained neck, he led the way with 30 points,7 assists, and 7 rebounds.  Joakim Noah was also a BEAST, and if you watched the game, you know he dominated every facet of the game tonight.  Noah finished with 17 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals, and 2 blocks!

I know most of you are going to think that I am going crazy for no reason, but you will only understand the Bulls Circus trip struggles if you are a Bulls fan.  Usually winning 2 games for us on this trip is an accomplishment.  Most NBA experts and even Bulls beat writers had us winning 2,3 games at the most.  So to win 4, while missing Boozer, and DRose and Taj in a game, is a pretty big deal.  At least for me it is!

I honestly can't wait for Boozer to come back, because as scary as it sounds, this team is going to get even better than it is right now.  Taj will come off of the bench, and make our second unit even stronger than it is right now.  As Kent wrote in his last post, the Bulls have become must see TV for sure, as they are putting on a show in every game.  Hopefully they can keep their winning ways going once they come home next week!

Also if you missed it, check out DROSE breaking Tyreke Evans' ankles tonight...sick...



BULLS FOO! DROSE FOO! NOAH FOO!

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BULLS GAME 14 RECAP - by Kent McDill

By Kent McDill
The Bulls have become must-see TV.

I know NBA regular season games can become tedious, but that problem is not going to exist for the Bulls this season. You are not going to want to miss a second of the 2010-11 season for the Chicago Bulls.

On Friday, the Bulls went into Denver for the sixth game on their seven-game circus trip. A victory would give them the first winning west coast trip in November since the dynasty ended in 1998.

But, playing without their injured team leader Derrick Rose (neck spasms), the Bulls dropped a 98-97 decision to the Nuggets on a last-second tear drop shot by Carmelo Anthony.

The Bulls looked like they had the win, riding the back of Rose's replacement, C.J. Watson, who had numerous Rose-like drives to the basket in the fourth quarter to put the Bulls in position to win.

The Bulls held a 97-96 lead and had the ball with 24 seconds left. Bulls coach Tom Thibodeaux put his best ball handlers in the game, and that included Rose's roster replacement, John Lucas III, who was rushed from Houston to Denver and signed to a contract immediately. Lucas was fouled with 14 seconds left, and he missed both free throws, which is of course a shame for him.

It was a shame for the Bulls, too. They actually forced Anthony into a bad shot but the ball went out of bounds off of Keith Bogans with four seconds left. Given another chance, the Nuggets got what they wanted, another game-winning shot by Anthony out on the right wing. He put the ball high over the outstretched hands of Luol Deng and the Nuggets had their victory.

To be fair, the Nuggets played without Chauncy Billups due to injury as well, so both teams were without their starting point guards. But Watson did a yeoman's job standing in Rose's stead.

Watson finished with 33 points, hitting 11 of 22 shots and nine of 12 free throws. He played almost 44 minutes and had just three turnovers.

Luol Deng had 24 points and 11 rebounds and Joakim Noah had 17 points and 16 rebounds.

You know what this means, right? This means the Bulls can have some confidence in Watson if they ever need him in a key situation again. On this trip alone, Rose has fouled out of one game with 90 seconds left and Watson had to fill in.

Taj Gibson tried to come back from his ankle injury but played only 11 minutes and did not score. 

The Bulls finish the trip in Sacramento on Saturday, and win or lose they can come home with their heads held high and their confidence even higher. I cannot wait to see what this team is like when Carlos Boozer gets into the swing of things. 

I see them now as a team that can go 10 deep (backups being Gibson, Kyle Korver, Watson, Omer Asik and James Johnson). That's something an intelligent and thoughtful coach like Thibodeau can use.

GOAT: You hate to do it, but Lucas is the goat for failing to hit either of those free throws. I also have to ask Bogans why he couldn't get his hands on Anthony's first miss in such a key situation.

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COLLEGE BASKETBALL PICKS

POSTED RECORD
(YTD 18-19-1)
(LOCKS 1-0)
+5UNITS

LOCK - DEPAUL CS NORTHRIDGE UNDER 141 - 5 UNITS

I've watched Depaul play since the beginning of the season, as they are on local TV, and they are terrible. I thought they would be a lot better, but with a bunch of new players/new system/new coach, they are really struggling. I think it might take Coach P some time to get this team to where it can even compete.  Overall, Both of these teams are terrible and have a lot of new players on their rosters this year.  And if you throw away Depaul's score vs  Chicago State and CS's score vs Vanguard, you will see these two teams struggle scoring the ball. I see this as a 65-60 kinda game at the end.  
gluck

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AWESOME MASHUP - JORDAN'S RESPONSE TO LEBRON'S COMMERCIAL

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BULLS GAME 13 RECAP - by Kent McDill

By Kent McDill
The possibilities are endless.

I am writing this as the Bulls extended the Phoenix Suns to the second overtime Wednesday night. The Bulls actually went ahead and won the game in the second overtime, 123-115, and they did so without Derrick Rose, who fouled out with 90 seconds left in the extra period.

The win matters, but what really matters most in this game is that the Bulls got to overtime, twice, in a game they trailed by 23 points in the first quarter. The game was the second of a back-to-back, following a strong but losing effort against the Los Angeles Lakers. And the Bulls played without the services of forward Taj Gibson, who sat out with his foot problem.

The Bulls are probably not going to win the NBA title this year, but they are going to be one of the most entertaining and competitive teams in the league all season long. This game proved it.
Even without Carlos Boozer in the lineup, the Bulls are strong enough to get points when they need to. I know Derrick Rose is getting most of them, but the Bulls got some key late offensive efforts Wednesday from Joakim Noah (was that a great pass at the end of the first overtime, or what?) and the threat, at least, from Kyle Korver.

(I just saw Luol Deng fail again on a drive to the basket off a drop pass by Rose. He simply is not a good finisher. I hate the finger roll when a dunk is available.)

(Luol just messed up a bounce pass to Brewer, too).

But you know why the Bulls are going to be good, better than we expected? It's because they play strong, imaginative, enthusiastic defense.

(Deng just hit the jumper to put the Bulls up five.).

The Bulls held the Suns to 43 points in the second half, and stopped them on numerous key possessions late in the regulation game and the first overtime. They did so because the players perform the defense taught to them by coach Tom Thibodeau, which relies on athleticism and enthusiasm. You have to want to play defense in order to play it well, and the Bulls do that.

Noah's steal from Steve Nash, Korver's steal late in the game, the effective way they handled the switch on the pick-and-roll run so effectively by Nash.

They will tell you defense doesn't matter in this league, but that is simply not the case. The Bulls can change any game, and get back into any contest, simply by stopping the other team from scoring, or even getting into their offense. (Noah just made two great defensive plays, including another steal from Nash. I love that guy.)

(I think the Bulls are going to win this game.)

You remember when we got Korver over the summer? His defensive role on the team was questioned, but he has proven capable of making a stop or two, and playing good players straight up when needed to do so.

People want to complain about the limits of this team, and they do have limits. They are going to be tested to beat Boston or Orlando in a series, but they sure won't be swept by anybody in a playoff series by anybody.

This is going to be a fun season. The Bulls will win more often than they lose, and they will win even when it looks like they don't have a chance. That's what they did Wednesday in Phoenix.

HEROES: You can't really chose between Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah. Rose had 35 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists, playing 50 minutes in his second game in two days. Noah had 16 points, 15 rebounds, five assists and two huge steals.


Kent McDill has been covering sports in Chicago for 30 years, and spent 11 seasons with the Bulls from 1988-99, covering them for the Daily Herald. He has covered the Chicago Bears, Bulls, White Sox, Cubs and Fire in his career, as well as Chicago's college basketball scene. Kent will be freelancing for Docksquad Sports.

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Bears 2010 - Week 12 Preview: ONE MORE AND THE BANDWAGON IS FULL - by Anil P.

Make us a believer this weekend. Make us believe that the 7-3 record that the Bears currently hold and the current division lead isn't a house built on straws. Out of the seven wins this team can boast, only Green Bay seems like it is headed to the playoffs come January. Make us believe that the #1 defense in the NFL in points allowed that dominated in Buffalo (Toronto) and in Miami isn't just a paper lion. Playoff teams aren't supposed to lose to a Seattle or a Washington. Show us that those were just hiccups along the way and the real Chicago Bears that are on a three game winning streak is legit. If Chicago is ever going to be on board with the 2010 Bears, a win on Sunday against a playoff caliber team is needed. The Bears are back home this Thanksgiving weekend and will face the #1 team in the NFC and #2 overall in points scored in Philadelphia Eagles.

Man I hate Philly. I like the cheesestake and Rocky 1 (all the sequels are crap) but that's about it. I'll admit that my hatred is personal and it stems from one weekend in 1997 in Philadelphia. I was kicked out of a hotel at 3:00 AM (wrongly accused of course) to find the car we road tripped in broken into with my portable CD, CD/Car Adapter and Music collections ranging from Pearl Jam to Dr. Dre stolen. Thus driving back for 12 hours in February with constant wind and freezing temperatures throughout the whole ride. That's just me leaving, I'm not even going to get into the actual train wreck of a weekend. My own issues aside with the city of brotherly love, I'm also backed up by the crap fandom as well. This is a city composed of citizens who want to be New York (of all places). Because of this desire, their people all have a Napoleon complex. That's why nothing was better than watching the Chicago Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup in Game 6 against a sea of Orange in Philadelphia. I'd rather see the sadness from the Broad Street Bullies fans at their home ice than see the joy in Chicago. With that said, I still didn't see them booing the Stanley Cup presentation coming (no hockey city has ever done that). Should I have been surprised with the Philadelphia history? They don't just boo The Cup, they boo'd Donovan McNabb at draft day. They boo'd Michael Irving when he was carted off in a neck brace and stretcher. They boo'd Sarah Palin as the hockey mom from Wasila dropped the puck (okay, I'll look the other way there). They are so hostile, they even boo'd Santa. If J.D. Drew didn't want to play for Philly fans, throw batteries at the man. If your little girl isn't a fan of a Philly team, vomit on her. The quintessential ugly American is actually from Philadelphia. Is there any doubt that the town with this caliber of denizens would welcome the man responsible for shooting, drowning and electrocuting dogs?

Michael Vick's ascension back to the top of the NFL was a tumultuous road met with the the Feds, orange jump suits, bankruptcy, public opinion bashing and of course the morons at PETA. Truth be told the true concern NFL teams had was whether his extended break from playing the game would hinder his progression as a quarterback. His time away proved to be valuable as Vick has now committed himself to the game and is not just relying on his athletic abilities (any chance Vince Young is into cock fighting?). The Eagles are undefeated in every game Vick has started and completed. This is a team called the fastest offensive team ever assembled when you factor in the QB as well. Vick has single handedly transformed this team from an NFC East cellar dweller to NFC Champion contender. While Vick has only played in about 60% of the Eagles games/snaps he easily is their MVP and if he continues his torrid pace will win the NFL award of Most Valuable Player as well. Skill players such as DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin and LeSean McCoy allow Vick the space to create in the air and on the ground. Andy Reid's team tops the NFC East and maybe the NFL at the end of the weekend.

KEY MATCH-UPS

Balance has worked

Philly leads the league in interceptions so the Bears will need to play their disciplined style of offense that has led to a three game winning streak. Martz has been able to contain himself recently and the Bears defense has not allowed games to get out of hand early. Defense will help the offensive philosophy as the score will dictate Martz's itchy trigger finger. JayCut will need to make smart and accurate decisions/throws.

Limit the Big Play

Among regular NFL starters, Vick is 2nd to Phillip Rivers in yards per attempt with 8.4 this season. Vick leads the NFL for QB's in yards on the ground and TD's. Again, this is all done because of the skill players the Eagles have surrounding the QB. Bears trio of safeties in Harris, Manning and Wright need to be disciplined as they have been for majority of the year. In order to keep the safeties out of the box, the front four and linebacker unit will have to keep McCoy and Vick at bay. Urlacher has been used as a 'spy' in the past but that was when #54 was younger and much faster. Vick's athleticism is too much for the mike linebacker for the Bears in 2010. Playaction passes are the Eagles choice for big plays and the Bears LB have over committed in the past. If the Eagles are able to gain consistent yards on the ground, look to big plays opening up. Hopefully the Soldier Field Turf comes into play as well as containment from the linebacker crew.

What did you learn from Sunday Night Football?

The Giants pressured the Eagles consistently. The Cover-2 worked in the past against Vick because he was unable to pick apart a defense but that was pre-jail. Post-jail Vick is more committed than ever and will find the open WR if given too much time. Specifically, pressure from his left needs to force him right and throw against his body. The Giants had a good scheme in place and limited Vick to his worst game of the year (83.0 QB rating). Turnovers are paramount to the Bears success and Vick likes to hold the ball a little too liberally when he's trying to make a play. While the Bears should play a physical brand of football on Vick, perhaps going for the sack fumble is the way to go here.

Four Phase win

Eagles are easily a playoff team this year provided health is maintained. Sunday will present a playoff game feel as the Bears are still trying to prove themselves to the NFL. All four phases of Offense, Defense, Special Teams and home elements will need to play a factor. A team like Philadelphia commands respect and focus; all segments must bring their best game to date. Hester has been on a streak lately and Special Teams will need to provide a spark. If he doesn't drop his pants like last year, he'll already have a better game.

Do I know Football more than the person I’m related to by marriage and Madden 11?

Current Season Straight Up

Pants: 5-5

Skirts: 5-5

Pixels: 6-4

Current Season Against the Spread

Pants 8-2

Skirts: 4-6

Pixels: 5-5

Week 12 is Eagles @ Bears; Vegas currently has the Eagles as 3.0 favorites

Her Pick: Bears to win outright and at least by one point.

Her Reason: Though I like the Eagles uniforms, can't help but think Da Bears will prevail on home turf this weekend...

Madden Simulation has the Eagles covering the spread 28-24

I've finally evened up the score with the wife on straight up picks while Madden still leads.

However, I'm dominating the spread with a 8-2 record and I just won $100 with a parlay bet

of a Bears win and the under last Thursday night. I'm feeling good about my prognosticating but

more importantly about the Bears. It was said before but this is the biggest test to date. There

may be bigger games later down the road with the Jets, Patriots and Packers on the horizon but

Vick is truly the player executing at the highest level in the NFL. I was leaning toward an Eagle

win but the Sports Illustrated Cover coming out with Vick smack dab in the middle. The

Bears are for real and win Sunday 23-17.

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Docksquad's Favorite Things/ GIVEAWAY

Here is the highly anticipated Docksquad's Favorite Things List for the upcoming Holiday Shopping Season. If @dockSquad33 gets 2,300 twitter followers (in honor of MJ) by December 23rd, we're giving away these items on this list for FREE to one of our lucky followers!  FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER @docksquad33

NBA 2K11 for PS3 and XBOX 360

Walmart will have NBA 2K11 available for only $30 on Black Friday!

Get it if you don't already have it and don't wait til Xmas to open it up to play it!



DRose AdiZero Basketball Shoes

Amazon have the DRose AdiZero BBall shoes for only $99.99 and free shipping!  Click above for all the colors.

If you want the white/blue ones for $70 bucks on sale, click on this link




For Bears fanatics, kids or adults...

Chicago Bears Comfy Feet Slippers


Support Da Bears while relaxing in the comfort of ComfyFeet slippers! These slippers are a great gift forthe whole family. With a thick foam sole and padded upper, this house slipper will make your feet cozy and toes toasty as you curl up to watch the big game. During the summer, this slipper's bright colors make it perfect as a decorative piece for your home or office. And don't be afraid to get it dirty, because this 100% polyester slipper is machine washable and easy-to-clean!



For the kids... Chicago Bulls Toy Box at WalMart


This is a cool hand-carved, hand-painted toy box bearing the official Bulls logo. Also available for other Pro teams.
Reg Price: $151.20 Now only $50.00!
Walmart offers free site to store shipping









This is the perfect gift bag to put a Jay Cutler BobbleHead or Bears playoff tickets in...

Chicago Bears Gift Bag













*Gift bag is also available for the Cubs


4-inch Favre

You get it? 4 inch Favre is a funny gift to give to that special/annoying Vikings or Packers fan.

And it's only $7.99 at Toys R Us










Chicago Bears Golf Balls


Amazon has these for 30% off ($10.50 after discount) and free super saver shipping!











Chicago Bears "SNUGGIE"


Amazon has a Bears Snuggie for Under $20 and free shipping!










If you see any other cool gift ideas, please leave a link and description in the comments sections and we'll add it to our list.

Again, follow me @docksquad33 on twitter, and win!

Happy Holidays everyone! Be safe!

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BULLS GAME 12 RECAP - by Kent McDill

Bulls lose to Lakers
By Kent McDill

I don't want Derrick Rose to become Michael Jordan.  I know everyone else wants to see a new team leader like Jordan was, and I know that the overall thinking in town is that Rose is that kind of guy. It is true that in his third year in the league, Rose has become far more aggressive on the floor, a trait that carried Jordan to great heights during his career with the Bulls.  But I don't want to see Rose try to carry the Bulls on his back the way Jordan so often did. That's not what basketball is about for me.

That was the thought I had as I watched the end of the Bulls-Lakers game Tuesday, a game the Lakers won 98-91. Rose scored 30 points, and tried mightily in the fourth quarter to pull the team to victory all by himself. It's a laudable trait but one that has dangers.  I watched Jordan play nearly every game from 1986 through 1998, and I marveled at his ability to score on his own. The fact that five guys on the other team could not stop him, and the fact that Jordan could score through personal will alone, made him a legend.  Rose is doing that now, and he is having a lot of success at it. He is driving past his own defender, and usually two or three others, on the way to the hoop. He has developed that rain drop shot he takes when he gets to the hoop then backs off slightly to create some space.  It is the stuff of superstardom, and Rose is well on his way.

But Rose attempted this play time and again through the fourth quarter Tuesday, and he wasn't always successful. Sometimes the shot didn't fall. Sometimes he did not get the foul call he was looking for, the one that Jordan almost always got, even by the time he was in his third season in the league.

For one thing, I worry that Rose is going to over-extend himself. Jordan was always able to come back the next game because he was such a remarkable physical specimen, and I simply don't know if Rose is going to be able to remain healthy the way Jordan did if he puts that kind of pressure on himself to perform.

The other thing, the one that apparently no one but me cares about, is that basketball is a team sport, and taking over a game the way Jordan did and the way Rose tried to do Tuesday is not a part of the game I learned when I was a kid.

I used to have this argument all the time. I guess it is exciting to see a player like Jordan defy the odds and beat another NBA team one-on-five, but I can't help thinking about the other four guys on the team. When I was traveling with the Bulls back in the 80s and 90s, I know the guys who were standing around watching Jordan go to the hoop time and again were wondering if they were ever going to see the ball.
Jordan was sometimes very selfish, and I'm not sure Rose has that same personality trait. I think Rose is just trying to do what he can to produce a victory, and believes he is the best option for scoring in those situations.

But I hope he doesn't think he can't be hurt, or that he doesn't have to involve his teammates. I worry about him, and I don't enjoy watching that kind of basketball.

GOAT: ON a night when the Lakers proved to have a scary-good bench, especially with their outside shot, the Bulls' own long-range shooter had an off night. Kyle Korver was one for six from the field for just two points. The Bulls got just 10 points from the bench on the first of a back-to-back, and those are the situations where the bench needs to really contribute.

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COLLEGE BASKETBALL PICKS

Posted Record
(YTD 18-15-1)
(LOCKS 1-0)

+9 units

Marquette -1
MSU- 5
Washington -2
Austin Peay +20

gluck

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COLLEGE BASKETBALL PICKS

Posted Record
(15-15-1)
(1-0 LOCKS)
+6 UNITS

All 1 units...
Clemson -3 game (bought hook)
Detroit +8
Marquette +13

gluck

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FAST DON'T LIE REMIX FT. DERRICK ROSE AND DWIGHT HOWARD

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PRIMER ON THE NBA COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT - by Abrar A.

The owners said that nearly half the teams in the NBA were losing money and the NBA could not survive under the current conditions of collective bargaining agreement. The players said that not that many teams were losing money and the game was growing by leaps and bounds because it was at the height of its popularity. These arguments may seem familiar if you have been paying attention to the NBA’s current collective bargaining negotiations. However, these arguments are from 1998, the year in which the NBA owners last locked out the players.

In 1998, Michael Jordan hit his final shot as time was winding down against the Utah Jazz to claim his sixth NBA championship. The 1998 NBA Finals was the highest rated finals in NBA history and Game 6 was watched by over 72 million people. After the finals, the owners locked out the players. Once an agreement was reached the NBA had to shorten its schedule to 50 regular season games. Since that lockout, the NBA has not recovered. Interest waned and fans tuned out.

Fast forward to today. As ill conceived as “The Decision” was, the NBA was a major talking point during the summer. D. Wade, Lebron and Bosh teamed up to make the Miami Heat the most hated team in all of sports. The traditional powerhouses, LA and Boston, are leading contenders for the championship. There are competitive teams in major markets like Chicago and superstars in small markets like Oklahoma City. The NBA has not been this relevant in the sports landscape since 1998. Yet even though revenues actually increased last season, NBA owners are talking about locking out the players.

Much of the dispute in the NBA is similar to the NFL. There is, however, one major difference. I’ll briefly discuss the similarities between the two leagues and will then focus the rest of the column on the salary cap structure that make the NBA collective bargaining agreement unique. There are other issues such as contraction, salary rollback and etc. I will address those in future columns.

The Division of Shared Revenue

The NBA and the players share the following sources of revenue: gate receipts, television and radio broadcasting rights, game day revenues (parking, ads, sponsorships and etc.), proceeds from sponsorships, proceeds from luxury suites and etc.

Like the NFL, the NBA players are guaranteed a specific percentage of league revenues, i.e. 57%. NBA teams have a team salary minimum and a team salary cap. Each team must spend 75% of its salary cap on the players. However, unlike the NFL, the NBA has a soft cap which allows for teams to sign certain categories of players even if such a signing will cause them to go over the salary cap.

The Soft Cap

Interestingly, the NBA salary cap is set at 51% of the total revenue yet the NBA players are guaranteed to make 57% of total revenues. So how do the players receive their extra 6%? Through benefits and the soft cap.

The NBA provides for a number of exceptions to a team’s salary cap; the most prevalent of which is the Larry Bird Rule. The Bird Rule was created in order to give an impending free agent’s current team a better chance of re-signing him. The free agent player’s current team can offer an extra year and about $10-$20 million more than any other team. One way to circumvent that is the sign-and-trade. If a player decides to sign with someone else then his old team can offer to sign him first and trade him to his new team in return for players, draft picks and etc.

Will There Be Basketball Next Year?

So will there be basketball next year? The owners and the players realize they’re not the NFL. The NBA is a player oriented league in that the casual fan tunes into games for certain players. For the first time, in a long time, you have a number of superstar players on teams that have a legitimate shot at winning the NBA Championship. As I said before, as ill conceived as “The Decision” was, having Lebron James in Miami with Wade and Bosh is a marketing dream. Drama sells.

Nonetheless, the NBA owners want a salary cap to essentially save themselves from bad contracts. David Stern and the owners argue that the league lost $400 million but I have a hard time believing him. The reason why I have a hard time believing him is the Memphis Grizzlies. The Grizzlies plays in one of the smallest markets, had the third lowest average attendance last year and are dead last in average attendance this year. Yet somehow the Grizzlies are able to sign Rudy Gay to an $82 million contract over 5 years, pay Zach Randolph $17.3 million this year and sign Mike Conley a $45 million contract over 5 years.

Are any of these players worth the amount of money they are paid? Probably not. But for some reason there is an owner in Memphis who is willing to hand out these contracts. It is difficult for me to imagine any scenario in which Memphis’ owners would hand out those contracts and be willing to lose money.

After my NFL column posted on the website, my friend told me that the players will eventually cave because they have to pay the bills for the yachts and the three vacation homes in the Caribbean. Though I disagreed with him when it came to the NFL, past history shows that his prediction is more likely to happen in the NBA. In 1998-99 it was the players who eventually caved because NBA player contracts are guaranteed and so each player assumes there will be a check for him at the end of every pay period until the end of his contract. Whereas NFL players can be cut and lose his source of income at the end of every year.

Ultimately, my prediction is that owners will lockout the players until the middle of October and at most, we may lose about 5-10 games off the schedule.

Abrar A. is a litigation and labor attorney from Chicago, Illinois. He hates the Cover-2 defense and is waiting for the day the Bears get a new coach. Abrar also has a man-crush on D.Wade that is only rivaled by Docksquad's own man-crush on DRose. Abrar A. will be freelancing for DSS.

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STONE COLD LEAD PIPE DOCKS - WEEK 11

Girl of the Week - back to one of our favorites - Minka Kelly

Vik's Pix:
(Last Week 3-2)
(Overall 24-22-4)

Lions +7
Ravens -12
Pats -3 (bought hook)
Titans -7
Raiders +7


Suman's Pix:
(Last Week 2-3)
(Overall 24-25-1)

Lions +7
Raiders +7
Jets/Texans over 46
Pats -3
49ers -3

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COLLEGE BASKETBALL PICKS

Posted Record
(14-13-1)
(1-0 LOCKS)
+7 UNITS YTD

Picks for today
Lamar -3
Long Beach State -5
New Mexico -1

Gluck

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BULLS GAME 11 RECAP - by Kent McDill

Bulls beat Mavericks
By Kent McDill

All right, it's time. You can go ahead, all of you.  Go ahead and get excited about the Bulls.  With their come-from-behind 88-83 win over the Dallas Mavericks Friday, the Bulls proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are a quality NBA team.

After another in a series of disastrous third quarters, this time allowing Dallas to go on a 17-2 run to start the second half, the Bulls slowly came back from a 14-point deficit and completely took control of the game in the final minutes. Intelligent defense, designed to take Dirk Nowitzki out of the game, was combined with timely shooting and remarkable offensive rebounding to give the Bulls their second win out of three games on the seven-game road trip west.

Taj Gibson, who had played horribly in the first two games of the trip (perhaps the worst back-to-back of his career), scored 17 points and had a career-high 18 rebounds to lead the effort. Derrick Rose had 22 points, and Joakim Noah had a double-double with 10 points and 17 rebounds. For the game, the Bulls outrebounded the Mavericks 59-34, a major glass-whipping.  Also noteworthy was the effort of bench players Kyle Korver and C.J. Watson. Korver finished with 14 points and Watson had 13 points as the Bulls' bench outscored the Mavs' bench 29-24, and the Mavericks bench includes NBA veterans like Jason Terry and Shawn Marion.

Although not to depend too much on statistics, the Bulls won the game despite shooting a woeful 15 for 23 from the free throw line (at one point they were two for nine), and they committed 16 turnovers.  The Bulls have clearly not accepted their role to be dogmeat for the best teams in the league. For the third time on the trip, the Bulls jumped out to a lead in the first half, taking a double-digit advantage in the first half before letting Nowitzki lead his team back into the game. Nowitzki ended with 36 points and he added eight rebounds.  The third quarter run by the Mavericks matches what happened in the first two games on the trip. In the first game against Houston, the Rockets won the third quarter 30-14 only to see Rose go absolutely insane in the fourth quarter to lead the Bulls to victory. In San Antonio, the Bulls lost the third quarter 37-12 and could not make up that much of a deficit.  Against Dallas, the Bulls plugged away at the lead, helped immeasurably by the first-ever successful 3-point shot by Gibson, who took the shot as time ran out on the shot clock.

The trip continues in Los Angeles against the Lakers on Sunday, and I know no one expects the Bulls to win that game. But I will bet you they play the Lakers tough and have a chance to win, because this team succeeds with its defense first, and all good teams do that.

HERO: Its got to be Taj, who came back from two bad games to turn in a 17-point, 18-rebound, one-turnover game.

Kent McDill has been covering sports in Chicago for 30 years, and spent 11 seasons with the Bulls from 1988-99, covering them for the Daily Herald. He has covered the Chicago Bears, Bulls, White Sox, Cubs and Fire in his career, as well as Chicago's college basketball scene. Kent will be freelancing for Docksquad Sports.

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