Up, Down and Sideways (Bears Week 9)

Posted: November 3, 2011 in Bears
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Matt Forté of the Chicago Bears

Fresh off their bye week, the Bears (4-3) visit the Philadelphia Eagles (3-4) on Monday night. They stare up at the undefeated Packers and two-loss Lions in the NFC North and face a tough Eagles team who has reeled off two straight wins.

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Matt Forte is an offensive stud and appears to be headed for his first Pro Bowl. He is 6th in the league in rushing at 96 yards per game. And with 419 yards receiving he is also the top receiving running back through eight weeks. Forte is surprisingly ranked 8th in total rushing attempts which means Mike Martz has stayed committed to the running game in recent weeks. Whether he gets a new contract or not, the Bears have a legitimate running back that Mike Martz won’t ignore.

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With DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin, the Eagles have two receivers in the top twenty in receiving yards through 8 weeks. Michael Vick’s play has improved over the last couple weeks and the Bear’s secondary in flux (goodbye Chris Harris). Those two receivers could wreak havoc on Monday night against a defense which ranks 28th in passing yards allowed per game.

Sideways
The Bears have played three road games so far this year. The only road game they won was played against the Tampa Bay Bucs at a neutral site so it doesn’t really count. But the Bears are an astounding 28-9-1 against the Eagles since the two teams first met in 1933. Even with this being a road game the Bears have history on their side and could pull off a much-needed victory.

Taxpayers to Ricketts: Don’t Follow Reinsdorf’s Extortion Tactics

Posted: October 30, 2011 in Cubs, White Sox
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Jerry Reinsdorf, chairman and primary owner of the Bulls and White Sox franchises has brought trophies to Chicago. To be specific, six basketball championships (1991–1993 and 1996–1998) and one World Series title (2005). As the owner of those teams, he paid a lot for those championships. A recent Tribune/WGN-TV joint investigation revealed Illinois taxpayers did too. About $6.9 million of taxpayer money was used in the building of Bacardi at the Park, a 10,000 square foot upscale restaurant across the street from U.S. Cellular Field. And what percent of those profits go back to the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority, the government agency that funded it and also owns U.S. Cellular Field? Let’s ask Jim Thompson, the agency’s board chairman at the time the deal was made.

“We said to Jerry, ‘Jerry can we have part of the profits?’ and he said no,” former Gov. Jim Thompson… said in an interview. “We said, OK.’

This isn’t Jerry Reinsdorf’s first time leveraging the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority (ISFA) to get what he wants. He threatened to relocate his baseball franchise to Tampa Bay in the late 1980s but then-governor (guess who?) Jim Thompson lobbied successfully for the creation of the above mentioned ISFA. That agency then funded the building of U.S. Cellular Field as the new home of the White Sox. Public funding of a baseball stadium isn’t unique but the way he got it done coupled with the more recent revelation of how Bacardi at the Park was paid for should make taxpayers view Reinsdorf in a more negative light.

Sign on the outside of Wrigley Field

Chicago Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts enters his third off-season as owner of the team and faces the challenge of rebuilding his ancient ballpark. How he funds the construction will either grow his goodwill with Cub fans or make all Illinois taxpayers compare him to crude businessman Jerry Reinsdorf. Tom Ricketts’s first attempt at securing public funding for rebuilding historic Wrigley Field was a non-starter with ex-Mayor Richard Daley in 2010. He begins discussions again with new Mayor Rahm Emanuel who seems more receptive to helping the Cubs. This is likely because reports indicate Ricketts is proposing to fund at least half of the $400 million rebuilding project privately, a significant increase from his original proposal to the city. Like all sports franchises, the Cubs will do what is needed to get the best deal for themselves. But to garner some goodwill from citizens, Ricketts must not utilize scare tactics to get what he wants. Threatening to move the team to Schaumburg or lobbying politicians like a snake-in-the-grass oil executive isn’t acceptable. All the praise he is receiving from the Theo Espstein hiring will quickly evaporate if he handles it poorly. Ricketts is obviously a smart businessman and should find creative ways to fund as much of the renovation as possible on his own. Whether it be more Wrigley Field advertising or negotiating better TV and radio deals, there are options to get it done. Let’s hope Ricketts grows into an owner everyone in Chicago, not just Cub fans, can come to respect.

Chairman Ricketts Hits First Homerun with Epstein Hiring

Posted: October 25, 2011 in Cubs
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With Theo Epstein finally on board, an ‘org chart’ has never been more fun to look at. Chicago Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts can finally breathe a sigh of relief as he has all but officially solidified the Cubs organizational structure. When Ricketts addressed the media in August about the upcoming general manager search he set the bar high and most believed he would fall short of his lofty expectations:

“… they’ll have to share a commitment to player development… we can look for guys that have a little stronger analytical background… Someone who has worked with some of the new tools… someone who’s been in a winning culture and who can bring the lessons of that over and has a track record of success…”

A commitment to player development… check. Analytical background and knowledge of new baseball tools… check. Winning culture and track record of success… check. Theo’s Boston Red Sox resume lists all that and more. At the time, Ricketts gave lip service to questions of whether his new GM could be an assistant from another club. But all his other comments told us he wanted someone with experience to mend his wounded team. Ricketts did one better than hiring Epstein as general manager. He hired Theo in the more senior position of president of the Cubs’ baseball operations and will make current Padres GM Jed Hoyer the new general manager. The extra level of baseball-focused leadership means the Epstein-Hoyer tandem should be free from the prying eyes of current president of business operations, Crane Kenney who was often seen interfering with baseball decisions under the previous regime. Remember the ‘priest in the dugout’ incident during the 2008 playoffs? That embarrassing scene was thanks to Crane Kenney. There is a lot of work for Theo and company to do. It won’t be easy and it won’t be quick but one thing is clear after witnessing this well executed Cubs general manager search. Tom Ricketts claimed a huge victory after the series of defeats he has endured since taking over ownership of the team.

This is a picture I took of Red Sox General Ma...

The Ricketts family officially took over ownership of the Chicago Cubs after the 2009 regular season concluded. In the two full seasons they have presided over the Cubs, the combined win-loss record was 146-178 (.450). Wrigley Field attendance this past year was a healthy 3,017,966 but the lowest since 2003 and trending downward from its high in 2008. Tom Ricketts also has witnessed the implosion of Carlos Zambrano’s career, the further deterioration of Alfonso Soriano and allowed Wally Hayward, the Cubs head of Sales/Marketing to install the Noodle outside of Wrigley Field. He patiently has listened to Cub fans complain about anything and everything. Why are ticket prices so high? Why did you pick Mike Quade over Ryne Sandberg? Why is Jim Hendry still the GM? Why should the city fund a Wrigley Field rehabilitation? It has been a series of unfortunate Cubbie occurrences since he took over. The hiring of Theo Epstein and his more than qualified team feels like a turning point. Attendance should steady as fan interest has once again been piqued.  Based on past performance Epstein will right the Cubs ship and make them a more regular playoff contender. More than anything, these organizational moves take immense pressure off Tom Ricketts himself. He hired the right man, will allow him to do his job and hold him accountable for the results. The media will focus its attention on Epstein and Hoyer while the chairman steps into the background and works with Crane Kenney on how to fund an overhaul of Wrigley field and create more revenue streams to pour back into the farm system. Theo Epstein was enjoying the praise of Cubs Nation in Wrigleyville today but Tom Ricketts was the one who called his shot in August and knocked it out of the park in October.

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Amazing Tales from the Chicago Bears Sideline (Book Review)

Posted: October 22, 2011 in Bears, Odds & Ends
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Amazing Tales from the Chicago Bears Sideline, authored by retired player Steve McMichael and journalists John Mullin and Phil Arvia, is a look back through Bears history without the feel of a football history book. Instead of reciting historical facts, milestones, coaches and key players from start to finish, it focuses on capturing interesting anecdotes from players and coaches of past Bears team. The book has two distinct perspectives.

Part I of the book starts in reverse chronological order from the Dick Jauron era and works its way through the Dave Wannstedt years, the reign of Mike Ditka, the early seasons with George Halas and finishes with sections on Walter Payton, Dick Butkus and the Packers. It is a journalist’s effort of story telling from various sources and direct quotes from former Bears like James “Big Cat” Williams, Dan Hampton and Ed O’Bradovich. It tells some in-the-huddle stories about the extreme failures of Cade McNown, how Bears management dropped the ball when trying to hire Dave McGinnis and how Mike Ditka ’toed the line’ between being a “player’s coach” and a disciplinarian. The majority of the stories are well written and flow nicely with one another. I was not around to watch the birth of the Bears so tales from the early years and a chance to learn more about players like Gayle Sayers and Dike Butkus was enjoyable. Some players like “Big Cat” Williams were over-quoted but, overall, the authors did a nice job of weaving together a lot of somewhat related anecdotes into a cohesive book.

Part II of the book is told from former defensive tackle Steve McMichael’s point of view. It isn’t as chronological as Part I but covers his own early years, many Bears he crossed paths with, Ditka’s impact in Chicago and the Super Bowl season. If you’ve ever heard McMichael speak on sports radio or in person, you feel his voice coming through in this book. Each time I read “baby” in one of his stories I could hear his Texas accent in my head. Steve McMichael’s player-perspective is both honest and appealing. Unlike the stories in Part I, the author’s emotions come through in his writing. He lived these stories and that is the way he wrote. From his respect of Walter Payton’s athletic ability to his initial reaction of Jim McMahon’s arrival in Chicago, McMichael reflects on all key Bears from his time in Chicago. Also he provides his recollections from each game of the historical 1985 season and playoff run. Fans mostly remember the Super Bowl Shuffle, the lopsided box scores, the regular season loss to the Dolphins and the final victory against the Patriots. This is a chance to hear from someone who was on the field during that season. Steve McMichael is an ex-football player, not a professional writer. It isn’t the most eloquently written collection of short stories I’ve read but he accomplished exactly what was needed. He emotionally chronicles on-the-field and off-the-field stories from the most exciting time in Bears history.

Amazing Tales from the Chicago Bears Sideline is available on Amazon and is a worthwhile read for any Bear fan that would like hear some of the not-so-well-known stories in Chicago football history.

Up, Down and Sideways (Bears Week 7)

Posted: October 21, 2011 in Bears
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The Bears (3-3) travel to London this Sunday, 10/23 to play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-2) in Wembley Stadium. After a week 6 thrashing of the Vikings, Lovie Smith’s team needs another win to stay relevant in a tough NFC North.

Cato June's first interception as a member of ...

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LeGarrette Blount, the Bucs starting running back, has been ruled out for Sunday’s game. At 6-0, 247 pounds, he is the type of workhorse back that can punish a defense. The Bears defense ranks 21st against the run and Blount’s absence will force their offense to become one-dimensional early. The back up, Earnest Graham, has taken far few attempts than Blount and should be stifled early.

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The Bears defense can’t afford to give up big plays as it has done game after game this year. Receivers including Devery Henderson (long of 79 yards), Steve Smith (long of 53 yards) and Calvin Johnson (long of 73 yards) have burned the defense big. The Bucs have two receivers that have receptions of 50+ yards in Arrelious Benn and Preston Parker. They also have slumping sophomore Mike Williams who had a long of 58 yards in his rookie season and is a favorite of quarterback, Josh Freeman. For a team with a very questionable secondary, one of these three receivers could catch a long pass on Sunday.

Sideways
The Bears arrived in London 5 days after the Bucs. It’s difficult to say which strategy will pay off come Sunday. Tampa Bay coach Raheem Morris wants his team to adjust to the time change and their surrounds early in the week and be able to focus on practice and the game late in the week. Call this the “Super Bowl Approach”. Lovie Smith took the “Regular Season Approach” and kept everything as normal as possible leading up to the game. They arrived in London on Friday for meetings and practices after spending the week in Chicago. “There are two ways you can do it,” said coach Lovie Smith. “I felt it was important for us to have a regular work week in Chicago, same dressing room, meeting rooms, surroundings that we know.” The outcome of these strategies will become more and more important over time as the NFL looks to expand overseas games.

Up, Down and Sideways (Bears Week 5)

Posted: October 9, 2011 in Bears
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IMG_8258

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The Chicago Bears (2-2) visit the Detroit Lions (4-0) Monday night (7:30ct on ESPN). It’s only week 5 but it feels like a ‘must win’ game since the Bears are looking up at two 4-0 teams (Lions and Packers).

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If the Bears want to contend for a wild card spot in the playoffs, the special teams will have to produce like it did against the Panthers. Despite the rule changes which make touch backs on kickoffs much more prevalent, Devin Hester’s returns last week put the offense in position to put up points. The Lions special team’s unit rank poorly this season giving Dave Toub’s group another opportunity for big production in week 5. Lions special team’s rank 1st in kick return yards allowed (401 yards) and 11th in punt return yards allowed (107 yards). Hester, Knox and the rest of the special teams unit should contribute more than their fair share in Detroit.

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The quarterbacks who opposed the Bears thus far are currently ranked in the top half of the league: Matt Ryan (15th), Drew Brees (5th), Aaron Rodgers (1st) and Cam Newton (16th). Lions quarterback, Matthew Stafford (7th), enters the Monday Night match up as an elite passer who is surrounded by the talent to put the Lions up big early. With the Bears secondary continuing to struggle, Stafford will put up yards and points at home. The defense will have to force turn overs to keep the game close.

Sideways
Matt Forte’s rushing outburst (205 yards on 25 attempts) against the Panthers (week 4) proves Mike Martz won’t ignore the obvious any longer. The team doesn’t yet have the talent to run the offense he really wants and he must adjust accordingly. Marion Barber only had 5 attempts in his regular season debut but averaged 3.4 yards per rush and proved to be the goal line runner the Bears need. If Forte and Barber have rushing success early, Martz won’t get pass happy and the Bears should remain competitive through four quarters.  But the offensive coordinator hasn’t proven to be very patient in his time in Chicago. If the Lions talented defense stops the run early, Cutler should be prepared to give his arm (and legs) a workout on Monday night.

Up, Down and Sideways (Bears Week 4)

Posted: October 2, 2011 in Bears
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Soldier Field 2006 NFL game kickoff Chicago Be...

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The 1-2 Bears invite the Carolina Panthers into Soldier Field this Sunday (10/2  at 12:00 on Fox). The match up this week is much better than the previous two weeks but the 1-2 Panthers will present challenges on several fronts for the struggling Bears.

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The Bears are not the only team struggling with the run this year. Although quarterback Cam Newton has racked up a solid 98 yards rushing in his first three games, his running backs are averaging a combined 51 yards per game so for this season. For a team with two above average running backs in DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart, this isn’t conducive to winning football games. The Bears defense should be able to shut down the run and force Newton to throw a lot. Hopefully he can be forced into making the type of mistakes seen by a typical rookie QB. The only problem is Cam Newton has looked like anything but a typical rookie so far this season.

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With the offense struggling again this year, it is more important than ever that the Bears have a top ten defense. Early this season the team ranks in the bottom half of all major team defensive statistics. With Chris Harris out again this week the secondary will again be without its most experienced safety. If the defensive front four struggles to get pressure on the quarterback as it has the last couple weeks, even Newton will expose the weak corners and safeties.

Sideways
I don’t know how Mike Martz is going to react to Jay Cutler’s comments this week. The only two people Martz probably concerns himself with are Lovie Smith and Jay Cutler. If Cutler stops supporting him, the offense won’t work. In the past week Cutler has made comments indicating his displeasure:

“That’s not my job; never has been. I never really wanted to be an offensive coordinator either. So this is Mike’s system. This is what Mike does. One-hundred percent, I’ve bought into it since the first day of install. I’m gonna keep believing in it, and keep trying to run the plays to the best of my ability.”

“I feel bad for (Forte) right now because he wants the ball, he wants to help out and we’re not giving him a lot of opportunities.”

With Marion Barber back this week the team should have better success. But if the offensive line can’t keep the Panthers defense out of the back field even another runner won’t help. If the yards per carry aren’t there early, Martz might forget about Cutler and Smith’s problem with a pass heavy offense and do what he likes to do.

Up, Down and Sideways (Bears Week 3)

Posted: September 24, 2011 in Bears
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Jay Cutler of the Chicago Bears warming up bef...

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The Bears play the Packers this week (9/25 at 3:15ct on Fox) in Chicago. Here is a quick look at the positives and negatives going into the game.

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The Green Bay Packers defense is allowing an average of 425 yards passing through 2 games. The quarterbacks involved were Drew Brees and Cam Newton (who knew?!) but Jay Cutler has the talent to put up big numbers too. If the Bears are able to cobble together a halfway decent blocking scheme and find a better run to pass ratio, Cutler could expose a defense struggling to match last year’s dominance.

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Where to begin… The safety position is featured heavily on this week’s injury report. This is very bad news since Aaron Rodgers is among the best quarterbacks in the league. Major Wright and Chris Harris are currently questionable which leaves the secondary with Brandon Meriweather (still learning) and Chris Steltz (still mediocre) as starters. If Chris Harris can get on the field Sunday I’ll feel a little better.

Sideways
The offense line is clearly a mess. Pass rushers like Clay Matthews and Charles Woodson could make it another painful Sunday for Cutler. Mike Martz and Mike Tice should be prepared for Dom Capers attacking defense after what they witnessed in New Orleans but the injuries on the offensive line might be too much to keep Jay upright. At least the Bears are at home where the line will be able to hear Cutler and Garza as they call out line protections.

Carlos Zambrano: A Decade of Interest and Outrage

Posted: September 18, 2011 in Cubs
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The Cubs formally announced that Carlos Zambrano will not return for the remainder of the 2011 season. His original suspension (without pay) expired on September 11th but he’ll remain home (with pay) for the last two and a half weeks of the season. Carlos has one year, at $18 million, left on his deal but expect the Cubs to trade or release him this off-season. He has pitched his last game with the North side baseball club. Consider him the pitching version of Sammy Sosa who wowed fans for years before being booed out of town. The decade ‘Big Z’ spent with the team was filled with promise, excitement, frustration and disgust.

Carlos Zambrano became a starter with the Cubs in the middle of the 2002 season. His career .6068 winning percentage puts him within the top 100 of all time yet he exceeded 15 wins only three times in nine seasons as a full-time starter. This punctuates the frustration that epitomizes Zambrano’s career. He has rare athleticism for a pitcher. That is proven by his 23 career home runs which ties him with Bucky Walters for 9th all time among pitchers. This physical ability along with his pitch control and overall “stuff” should have made him one of the best pitchers of his era. But his inability to control his emotions on the field and treat his body as the tool of his trade will make him just another pitcher who never “lived up to expectations”.

Before the 2003 season began, Zambrano wasn’t considered the best pitcher on the Cubs staff. Not even close. Kerry Wood, Mark Prior and Matt Clement headlined the starting staff that season and all four wound up winning 13 or more games.  Carlos failed to record a post-season victory in three attempts that post season. 2004 to 2008 would bring a string of five straight 14+ win seasons, three All Star appearances and a no-hitter (2007). He signed his 5 year, $91.5 million contract in 2007 which set up expectations that he would never live up to. A series of red flags were raised even while he put together impressive statistical seasons. Back problems, “tennis elbow” brought on by too much internet use, a fight with teammate Michael Barrett and in-game cramping due to poor hydration were among issues that kept him from realizing his potential as an elite pitcher and Cy Young winner.

The 2009 season was the beginning-of-the-end of Carlos Zambrano’s Cub career. His antics remained but the impressive production that previously justified it was gone. He didn’t win more than 11 games in any season from 2009 to 2011 and his innings pitched per season didn’t exceed 170. This was especially surprising considering he topped 200 innings in five of his previous six seasons. He was known as the Cubs workhorse pitcher. 2oo9 brought another dugout tirade and along with a missed team flight. Zambrano melted down after a bad 1st inning against the White Sox in 2010 and had an unforgettable verbal argument with respected first baseman Derrick Lee in the dugout. And following a team-issued suspension he would spend time as a middle reliever in the bullpen. The final straw for Cubs management came earlier in this forgettable 2011 season. After being ejected while pitching against the Atlanta Braves he told team personnel he was retiring and had his locker cleaned out. An excuse and apology followed but the damage was done. If Zambrano’s on-field performance hadn’t faltered in recent years, management might have accepted his latest hollow apology and brought him back to the team. But he is no longer an asset to the team and his distractions won’t be tolerated in Chicago again.

Carlos Zambrano brought a lot of excitement to the Cubs. From his no-hitter against Houston to his love of hitting, he kept us wanting more. But the frustrations he brought far outweighed his contributions to the team. Will he find a new team to give him a chance? I have no doubt that will happen. Will he finally become a good teammate and a more emotionally controlled player? Not likely. I wish Zambrano and his next team good luck together but I’m glad the Cubs chapter of the Carlos Zambrano story is complete.

NFC North Preview: A Crowded Pack at the Top

Posted: September 3, 2011 in Bears
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The final week of the NFL preseason is professional football at its worst. Teams play half-a-dozen starters and the players who finish the game will be happy to make a practice squad. It looks more like the XFL than the NFL. At last it’s over and we can get ready for another exciting season in the NFC North. From first to worst, here is a season preview of the division.

Green Bay Packers

The Packers won the Super Bowl last year without key starters Ryan Grant, Jermichael Finley and Brady Poppinga (injured reserve). A healthier team should take the NFC North title back from the Bears and contend for another trip to the Super Bowl. General Manager Ted Thompson rarely opens the checkbook for free agent acquisitions and this year was no exception. The offense will be pass heavy as always but a combination of Ryan Grant and James Starks in the backfield will force defenses to respect the running game more this season. The defense lost tackle Cullen Jenkins to the Eagles but Dom Caper’s attacking 3-4 defense will dominate the division again. Tramon Williams had a break out season in 2010 and will look to supplant an aging Charles Woodson as the team’s shut down corner. The Packers superior coaching combined with on-the-field talent make them the class of the NFC North in 2011.

Offensive Ranking: 1
Offensive Stud: Aaron Rogers
Defensive Ranking: 1
Defensive Stud: Clay Matthews
Team X-factor: Jermichael Finley

Chicago Bears

The Bears caught a lot of breaks in 2010 on their way to the NFC Championship game. That won’t happen again and their record won’t look quite as impressive. Defensively, the team should compete for best in the NFC North which will keep them in games all year. Julius Peppers, Brian Urlacher and an ornery Lance Briggs anchor a defense that is strong on the front line but returns a questionable secondary. If Major Wright plays up to his talent, the safety position could be solidified for the first time in many seasons. Jay Cutler should take a significant step forward in year two of Martz’s offense. The last few preseason games showed the offensive line could be better than average and give Cutler time to throw down field. It may not seem like it but the wide receiving position has been upgraded from last year. Jerry Angelo replaced Rashied Davis and Devin Aromashodu with Roy Williams and Sam Hurd. The Bears will not have the luck or talent to repeat as NFC North champions but should make it somewhat competitive and have a chance at a Wild Card birth.

Offensive Ranking: 3
Offensive Stud: Matt Forte
Defensive Ranking: 2
Defensive Stud: Julius Peppers
Team X-factor: Roy Williams

Detroit Lions

There is a lot of hype around the Lions going into the year. Analysts believe, if he can stay healthy, Matthew Stafford will step into the second tier of the quarterback elite. With Calvin Johnson, Brandon Pettigrew and Jahvid Best, he has the offensive weapons and the management has built a solid offensive line to protect him. The defensive line is being billed as one of the best in football. With talent like Ndamukong Suh, Kyle Vanden Bosch and Nick Fairley, it isn’t an overstated proclamation. Coach Jim Schawartz has built the type of defense he envisioned since he arrived from the Titans. For the first time in a long time, it will be a fun team to watch. Though the expectations are high, the Lions have much to prove before becoming a true contender. They should take another step forward this season eyeing a run at the division in 2012.

Offensive Ranking: 2
Offensive Stud: Calvin Johnson
Defensive Ranking: 3
Defensive Stud: Ndamukong Suh
Team X-factor: Jahvid Best

Minnesota Vikings

Expectations should be much higher for a team with Adrian Peterson as its running back and Donovan McNabb as its quarterback. But most people expect little after last year’s debacle of a season. That, coupled with the loss of Bryant McKinnie (released), Ray Edwards (free agent to Falcons) and Sidney Rice (free agent to Seahawks) signal a rebuilding year for Minnesota. If McNabb looks like the quarterback from Philadelphia instead of the quarterback from Washington, the offense will put up numbers. Unfortunately, the defense is in worst shape than the offense. There is little talent remaining from seasons past. Fans can hold out hope that the defensive-minded coach Leslie Frazier will get the most out of the lackluster talent. In a competitive NFC North, the Vikings will likely end up in the basement in 2011.

Offensive Ranking: 4
Offensive Stud: Adrian Peterson
Defensive Ranking: 4
Defensive Stud: Jared Allen
Team X-factor: Donovan McNabb

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