West Coast Bias: Classic

Regardless, I am taking a stand. It is time for us all to look east once and a while, and give those stars the attention they deserve. I’m sick of stories about the heroes from Seattle – King Felix, Tyreke Evans, David Lee, Zach Miller.

            Felix Hernandez wins the American League Cy Young Award. Shocker. I could have told you this back in Spring Training that this is guy who would win.

            This is a classic case of the voters and their West Coast bias.

seattletimes.nwsource.com

            Ever since the West Coast tried to play the role of copycat in sports, they have been the center of attention in every sport. Come on. The games start later, the sun is always shining and they are just so damn cool over there. It is like a 24-hour day spa.

            It started with football when all of the media had to focus on the resurgent Raiders. Every day, all I can see on ESPN was the Black and Silver. Jason Campbell this; Darius Heyward-Bey that. Where the hell are my Cowboys?

            The disease then spread to basketball. Kings, Warriors and Blazers, oh my. Will the NBA championship run through Los Angeles (The Clippers) again? How can I find out more about where LeBron is getting his doughnuts with this ongoing media blitz?

            Then it struck baseball; essentially, the nail in the coffin. The San Fran kids won the World Series – the team got more exposure than George Hamilton. I thought this Series was all about Josh Hamilton?

Let’s be realistic: we knew that the big-money superstars that were the Giants would obliterate the Rangers. This is textbook West Coast baseball with their wide-open wallets and teenage girl-like spending sprees.

But now it has infected the regular season awards; I always that was a staple of Major League Baseball. Felix Hernandez, or King Felix as the world knows him as – yeah, a king, what a proper title for the brat.

Hernandez was awarded the Cy Young after earning 13 wins for the Seattle Mariners. Oh, hey David Price. Sorry your 19 wins were not good enough. And CC, as in Sabathia, 21 just ain’t gunna cut it anymore, bro.

askmen.com

And an E.R.A. of 2.27 – what does E.R.A. even mean?

The voters tried to defend their decision by blaming the Mariners for not producing offensively to support their ace in the hole. Ichiro, Milton Bradley, Chone Figgins – this is starting to sound like the American League All-Star team.

I remember a night in April when so-called King Felix lost to the Kansas City Royals. Yeah, the dude got lit up for three runs, and was outpitched by Kyle Davies.

Oh yeah, and there was another time in August when Hernandez got battered harder than a bottle of Absolut in Lindsay Lohan’s limo. Six runs…from the Indians…is Manny Ramirez still on the team?

What I am saying is that there were clearly better options for the Cy Young this past season. Sabathia won over 20 games, and he plays for the New York Yankees. When was the last time an overrated ballplayer from the Bronx could get an award?

gossipbeat.com

Then there is Price of everybody’s darling, the Tampa Bay Rays. Price did not quite reach the 20-win mark, but he is a Ray. They play in the same division as those damn Yankees and the freakin’ Sawks; they should be a shoe-in for the World Series every year.

Am I out of my mind for thinking the voters having it in for the East Coast athletes? Maybe it is because they have to wake up earlier to watch their games, or that sometimes a jacket and gloves are required apparel.

From this point on, I am relying on SportsCenter for 24-7 coverage of the under-the-radar guys; tell me something about Derek Jeter or something.

Brett Favre Shocks the World, Will Not Return to NFL in 2011

In a revealing interview with the NFL Network, Brett Favre announced he will not return for a 21st season in the National Football League.

uproxx.com

Given the current circumstances surrounding the quarter back, it makes a lot of sense. The Wrangler commercials -- way too much clothes for a man of Favre's stature. His head coach, the much-maligned Brad Childress, trades away his best wide receivers. Plus, his best friend on the Minnesota Vikings, placekicker Ryan Longwell, is a free agent after season's end.

If history is a predictor, then Longwell leaving means Favre will as well. So why isn't anybody making a big deal out of the Favre-to-retirement news?

I don't know, maybe because it is November.


We are used to our annual Favre-Fest come August. The summer is coming to an end, training camps are long in our rear-view mirror and we are badgering about why there is still pre-season football games.

In other words, we love nothing more than daily coverage of Rachael Nichols setting up camp outside of Favre's lawn in Hattiesburg, Miss. I'm sure they have exchanged cell phone numbers.

The decision from the indecisive was barely exciting enough to make headlines. Go ahead and Google "Brett Favre" news in the past week; one, maybe two stories pop up. It begs the question, though: doesn't anybody care?

Maybe it is because it is the same old story just a different years. When you put us through the retirement drama each and every summer, and really dial it up the past four years, it's just not doing it for us anymore.


Brett, if I can call you Brett, let me put it out there for you. It is like a relationship -- you got to keep things interesting. We know you are going to retire and un-retire at least once before the 2011 season; that's like telling me Boise State is going to get screwed out of the BCS Championship Game.

Want to catch us all off-guard? Demand a trade to the Detroit Lions, or sign a one-year contract with the Chicago Bears. Tell us all you are going to play another season, and then retire off to a landscaping career, or do a commercial for the Verizon family plan.

But don't tell me your plans before Thanksgiving. We all saw your eyes shifting, your smile rearing when you said you're done after this year. You make Keanu Reeves look like an Oscar-winner.

The Man Behind the NFC's Best

A lot has been said about the mediocrity abundant in the NFC this season. The favorites -- the Cowboys, the Vikings, the Super Bowl champion New Orleans saints -- have all floundered.

flickr.com

The Dallas Cowboys recently ousted their head coach after nine weeks, the first time they had ever fired a coach mid-season in their history. After being favored as a Super Bowl contender, the team is off to just a 1-7 start. Their offensive woes are almost as glaring as their defensive struggles. They can't score and they can't stop anybody -- that sounds like a winning formula.

Then there was the Minnesota Vikings. With Brett Favre back for another rendezvous, the team looked forward to another explosive offensive to go along with their always dominant defensive attack. But after a series of sext messages, broken shoulders, chins, ankles, hips, a Randy Moss trade, a Randy Moss release and a campaign to fire the head coach, the 2010 version of the Purple People Eaters are looking up at their arch nemesis the Green Bay Packers and Da Bears in the NFC North.

And finally there was America's sweethearts. After capturing the attention of fans across the country with their Cinderella story, the New Orleans lost games to the Atlanta Falcons, the Arizona Cardinals and the Cleveland Browns? So much for the Super Bowl hangover; losing to the Colt McCoy-led Browns is more like a blackout.

But it was a traditional NFC superpower that reemerged in 2010, led by their traditionally tenacious defense to bring them top to the top of the conference. You know who I'm talking about...G-G-G-G-G-Men!

The New York Football Giants have risen to the top of NFC, led by their defensive prowess. No, they did not sign any superstars in the offseason. They didn't drive a phenom in the draft to start right away. What they did was find an underrated defensive mind to put together the pieces of the puzzle left behind by Tom Coughlin's defensive coordinator in 2009, Bill Sheridan.

Perry Fewell was hired in January to take over the Giants defense after a pathetic campaign last season. Fewell was a candidate for the Buffalo Bills head coaching gig after leading the team to a 3-4 finish after serving as the interim manager following the firing of Dick Jauron.

nj.com

As a head coach for seven weeks, Fewell lifted a talent-lacking Bills team to wins over Miami, Kansas and Indianapolis, who was really sporting their second team. However, in their four losses, they faced off against a resurgent Titans squad led by Vince Young and 2,000-yard rusher Chris Johnson, and two playoff teams in the Jets and Patriots, losing by a combined 13 points.

Fewell's defensive strategy dates back to being a defensive back coach with the Chicago Bears in 2004 and 2005 and piloting the defense in Buffalo for four seasons. But after the Bills went in another direction and opted to hire Chan Gailey to replace him as head coach, the G-Men saw a diamond in the rough, and quickly they snatched him up.

Coughlin and Fewell had a history from their time together in Jacksonville, so he must have had confidence his disciple could clean up the mess that was the 2009 Giants defense.

A rash of injuries plagued the team that season: Defensive lineman Chris Canty was signed from the Cowboys after totaling 10 sacks in four seasons in Dallas. Linebacker Michael Boley was signed from the Falcons after a 330-tackle, six-sack, five-interception stint. First-round draft pick safety Kenny Phillips dealt with a knee injury, while defensive quarterback Antonio Pierce was sidelined with a bulging disk in his neck.

Meanwhile, the Giants were forced to move cornerback Aaron Ross into multiple positions in the secondary, while former standout Osi Umenyiora was close to being released due to a lack of production. Justin Tuck, who emerged in 2007 with 10 sacks and two forced fumbles, and who improved in 2008, played through a torn labrum in his shoulder last year as well.

With a healthy unit and a new leader, the G-Men defense now sports the best defense in all the NFL, allowing just over 250 yards per game. New York gives up less than 14 first downs per game and allows its opponents to convert on third down 29 percent of the time. They rank number one in forced fumbles with 16, and are tied for fifth in sacks (24) and tied for ninth in interceptions (9). The team has allowed just four scores on the ground and one rush over 40 yards, as their rushing defense is second only to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

So before we point to $60 million dollar man Eli Manning the reason for the Giants turnaround, let's not look to what the Giants have prided themselves on for the better part of their history. And while health is a main factor, it is important to recognize the man pulling all the strings behind the curtain.

Let the Thanksgiving Debate Begin

source: aiellosports.com

For years, NFL fans across the country have been pleading their case for the Detroit Lions to be banished from their traditional game on Thanksgiving afternoon. Now, at 2-6, the Lions may not be the number one choice of viewers, but they are a game ahead of the team they share the spotlight with come Turkey Day -- The Dallas Cowboys.

As the Cowboys endure a painful defeat to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday Night Football, they prepare to enter Week 10 of the season at 1-7, facing off against the NFC East-leading New York Giants. So realistically, the Boys from Big D could enter their fourth straight primetime matchup against the Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints with one win and eight losses.

So is it the Lions or now the Cowboys who are going to ruin our Thanksgiving football?


The Lions may have just two wins, but for a franchise that has been plagued by poor drafting, economic woes, an uninterested fan base and pathetic football, it is step steps in the right direction from a winless season just two years ago.

Head coach Jim Schwartz is a disciple of Jeff Fisher, one of the most well-respected leaders the game has seen. And like his mentor, Schwartz brings a sense of professionalism and subtle swag to his team that we are not used to seeing out of the woeful Lions.

In recent weeks, we have seen the Lions beat the Washington Redskins in convincing fashion, and take a                                          Super Bowl-caliber New York Jets team into overtime.


                                                               These are not your mother's Lions.

The Lions may not contend for an NFC North Division title in 2010, but honestly nobody expected them to. In my opinion, the team has four or five more wins in them this season, including a Nov. 21 matchup in Arlington against those Cowboys. But regardless of their record at the end of the season, it is obvious the Lions are in the midst of turning around their franchise, and the team is learning how to win football games. Matthew Stafford is going to be a great quarterback; Jahvid Best has shown flashes of brilliance and Calvin Johnson is a freak athlete. And their defense, led by rookies Alphonso Smith and Ndamukong Suh, is going to be great for a long time (as long as we keep the big fellow lining up against centers and not for extra points).

source: dallasnews.com

The same cannot be said for the men from Big D. Jerry Jones' team was expected to make a run at the Super Bowl this season. For a team loaded with big names -- Tony Romo, Felix Jones, Jason Witten, Miles Austin, Dez Bryant, DeMarcus Ware -- they sure are the league's biggest choke job.

But you didn't need me to tell you that, though.


They have a lame-duck coach in Wade Phillips, a backup quarterback in Jon Kitna and one win with half of the season gone by. Still, the NFL continues to stick to their guns and schedule the Cowboys in the national spotlight -- it's like they're trying to prove just how awful they are.

My point is that for the last decade, I've had to suffer through Joey Harrington and the has-been version of Daunte Culpepper and even Kitna leading the Lions out every year on Thanksgiving, and never once has the NFL juggled the possibility of flex scheduling to try and consider what the fans want to see -- like a game that could be competitive in the second quarterback is so much to ask for?

But the tides have turned -- the Cowboys are now the reason that fans are crying out via Twitter to salvage decency in the NFL and force flex scheduling for Thanksgiving afternoon. Nobody wants to see a 1-7, or theoretically a 2-8 team, go out and put forth a half-ass effort in front of a national audience. We've been saying it for years about Detroit, and it's all of a sudden reappeared with the struggles in Big D.

To change or not to change -- that becomes the question. Should we continue we "tradition," despite the Lions' and Cowboys' struggles? Or should we base the Thanksgiving games around appeal.

There's nothing that goes better with turkey than stuffing, milk with apple pie and Thanksgiving with football. I just want a reason to care about the game.

Shanahan: Man Up

            He is not as fluent in the two-minute drill; he is not in good physical shape; and he has a hamstring injury. A lot of excuses for one controversial decision – what do you think tomorrow’s will be?

            After Washington Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan opted to bench Donovan McNabb in favor of backup Rex Grossman in last Sunday’s game against the Detroit Lions, the football world watched in awe as the plan backfired. Grossman fumbled his first snap, which the Lions returned for a touchdown.

source: tbd.com

            And if that was not ugly enough, the head coach attempted to defend his decision – multiple times.

            Following the game, he thought Grossman gave the team a better chance to win in the two-minute drill. Monday, McNabb was not in good “cardiovascular health.” On Tuesday, offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan said McNabb was dealing with a hamstring injury.

            Pepper Rodgers said the head coach has the ultimate authority on a football team, so whatever his decision is it goes. If that is the case, then why is Shanahan scrambling for excuses?

             A lot of rumors have swirled since the McNabb incident inferring that Shanahan has been unhappy with his quarterback for a good deal of the season and was considering benching him on numerous occasions. That’s why you trade for a franchise quarterback in the offseason after all, right?

            When McNabb was brought into the Redskins organization, they thought their lingering quest for a quarterback for finally over. They ousted Jason Campbell as if he was a termite problem, and anointed McNabb was the team’s savior.

            Eight weeks into the 2010 season, McNabb has already matched the team’s win record from a season ago. By the way, the wins for the Skins in 2009 included St. Louis, Tampa Bay, Oakland and Denver – let’s not get too excited about those triumphs.

            But the four losses this season are definitely McNabb’s fault though, right Shanahan? He has a tremendous offensive line, featuring a rookie left tackle and a $26.5M guard being benched. The team’s top running back has been injured for weeks, and his successor has fumbled twice in four starts. Oh, and their receiving core – aside from Santana Moss, McNabb is targeting a 38-year-old and a former Intense Football League player.

            Regardless, it is clearly McNabb’s fault they are .500.

source: bakersfieldnow.com

            Shanahan is an extremely well-respected head football in the National Football League. He has won multiple Super Bowls with the Denver Broncos, and has coached some of the top stars the league has ever seen. However, that does not mean he’s immune to making mistakes.

            Benching McNabb was a glaring error, then and now. Believing that Rex Grossman of all people was the answer to the Redskins’ offensive woes was an even bigger mistake. But like Pepper Rodgers said, he is the coach; he makes the decisions, therefore he must live up to the decisions. If he lost confidence in his signal-caller, admit your mistake – do not give bologna about being out of shape or not as practiced in the two-minute drill. If he played 58 minutes in the game I think he would have lasted another two; if he hasn’t practiced the two-minute drill enough, it is your job to rehearse it in practice.

            Instead, Shanahan was too proud to admit his mistakes, and then he was too stubborn to go back on what he started. Now look what has happened.

            Recently, the Redskins worked out former NFL quarterbacks JaMarcus Russell and J.P. Losman, formerly of the Oakland Raiders and Buffalo Bills, respectively. Give me a situation where you think Russell is a better quarterback to lean on than McNabb – you think Russell can lead a better two-minute drill? The guy can’t even make the Raiders’ roster.

            No matter what perspires out of the Redskins in the next two weeks leading up to their Monday Night Football matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles, the damage has already been done. McNabb is a professional – we all saw how he handled the shots thrown at him during his time with Philly, and we see how he maintains him composure at times like these.

            McNabb will continue to play as if nothing happened, but the relationship between him and his head coach is already shattered. No matter how many times they called for him to be benched or traded in Philadelphia, And Reid always stood by his man. Shanahan, on the other hand, threw McNabb under the bus. How can you expect to play inspired under that kind of condition?

 source: renovomedia.com

            When McNabb’s contract expires at season’s end, do not expect the Redskins to be jumping at the chance to resign him. Shanahan is not going anywhere, and clearly he and McNabb have no chance of a future working together.

            You just have to wonder how things could have ended differently if Shanahan would have just admitted his mistake, and spoke man-to-man with his quarterback instead. Perhaps it’s the head coach who needs some schooling.

Evaluating The Top 10 Destinations for Randy Moss

With Randy Moss being ousted from Minnesota, the radar of contending teams throughout the National Football League with wide receiver vacancies suddenly skyrocketed.

While Moss is always a threat to "play when he wants to," there is no doubt in my mind that having been traded out of New England and now cut by his original team after just four games, Moss will want to prove to the rest of the league that both teams made a mistake. Moss is still a threat in the vertical passing game and could help a range of teams vying for playoff berths.

Here is an analysis of the top 10 fits for Moss after he claims waivers.

                                                                                                                                                         Source: zimbio.com

1. San Diego Chargers                              

Could you imagine pairing the high-flying Moss with the NFL's leading passer? Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers in on a reckless pass to surpass the single-season passing yard record. He's done all his work without his top wideout Vincent Jackson, and his leading receiver in 2010 Malcolm Floyd.

Rivers makes stars out no-names, so if you pair him with Moss, you could bet the Chargers could still make a play for the the AFC West title. Moss can provide a compliment to Antonio Gates in the passing attack, which should also open up things for Darren Sproles and Ryan Mathews in the running game.

Now picture a Philip Rivers-led offense come December when Jackson returns from suspension, Floyd is finally healthy and Moss has developed chemistry with his new quarterback. I think general manager A.J. Smith needs to pull the plug to save his job (see: LaDainian Tomlinson to the Jets)





2. St. Louis Rams
If Randy is going to be Manny, then I would never suggest pairing him with a rookie quarterback. And because St. Louis Rams head coach Steve Spagnuolo stems from the Bill Parcells-Tom Coughlin coaching tree, I don't think he wants to add a potential eruption in the volcano that is Randy Moss to a team that is coming off a one-win season.

But Sam Bradford is thriving with the likes of Danny Amendola and Lorenzo Alexander at wide receiver; what kind of success could he have with a player of Moss's caliber? 

Source: midwestsportsfan.com

3. Oakland Raiders

Don't call it a comeback, please. What  a nightmare it would be to reunite Moss with his former team and owner Al Davis. I can see it now -- Davis slowly walking up to the podium in his fashionable black and silver jogging suit to announce to signing of Moss -- just another example of the commitment to excellence.


But the lack of quarterbacking in Oakland would only present more problems for Moss (Please, do not try to convince anybody that Bruce Gradkowski or Jason Campbell are sufficient enough options to please Moss). However, I don't think his presence would ultimately hurt the development or either quarterback, not to mention open up things for the Raiders' young collection of wideouts and their dynamic tight end. Oh yeah, and don't think Run DMC wouldn't break loose with Moss taking another defender out of the box. Oh, Al -- don't say you haven't considered it.


4. New England Patriots
Like The Hoodie would get away with trading his record-breaking wide receiver for a third-round draft pick and then resign him just a month later. Sounds like classic Belichick to me.

While Moss renounced his apparent man love for the Patriots when he faced them as a Viking, I am not sure the NFL could even allow the Patriots to reattain Moss's talents. But whoever says the Pats could not benefit from Moss Source: 365sportsnews.net                                returning to their offense is a straight up liar. I pity the fool.

The offensive juggernaut that was the Patriots offense has cooled off considerably since Moss departed for purpler pastures. In fact, they are more reminiscent of their early 2000s teams where they were actually winning Super Bowls on the reg. But anyone who believes the Pats' passing game is better off without Moss opposite of Wes Welker is delusional. Trust me -- go ask Welker's fantasy owners.

5. Kansas City Chiefs                                                             

  Source: arrowheadpride.com

Perhaps the biggest surprise team on the NFL season has been the resurgence of the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs, or New England West if you may, is led by former Patriot Matt Cassel and general manager Scott Pioli, both of whom have worked with Moss.

In 2008, when Cassel took over for an injured Tom Brady, the duo combined for over 1,000 yards and 11 scores.

With the Chiefs off to a hot start, one might suggest the addition to Moss alongside Dwayne Bowe would add another element to their passing game and another piece to their arsenal of weapons. This is one of the better fits for Moss.




6. Denver Broncos

Source: bostonherald.com


Yet another Belichick decipher, Josh McDaniels, was the man behind the 2007 Patriots' record-setting offense. Now, the Broncos head coach is on a Mile High hot seat. Would a move to snatch Moss be a step in the right direction?

Kyle Orton has shocked us all with his powerful right arm, as he ranks among the best in passing yardage this season. Orton's top receiver is Brandon Lloyd -- yes, the same Lloyd that once was traded for two draft picks and received a $10M contract with the Skins before producing a 25-catch season with not a single trip to the end-zone. Now Lloyd is tops in the league, so what kind of damage could Orton do with a player of Moss's caliber?

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Source: fantasyknuckleheads.com

Josh Freeman has performed beyond anyone's wildest expectations in 2010, becoming notorious for come-from-behind game-winning drives. At this point, his offensive weapons include rookie wideout Mike Williams and tight end Kellen Winslow, both of whom have had questionable pasts with their former teams.

Coming out of Syracuse, Williams's character was questioned because of his sudden departure for the Orange football program, despite leading the Big East in receiving and becoming a viable candidate for the Biletnikoff Award.

While Winslow was a Cleveland Brown, there was no doubt regarding his immense abilities and skill set at the tight end position. However, off-the-field issues plagued Winslow, which led to the Browns shipping off their stud receiver to the Bucs.

However, the Bucs regime under second-year head coach  Raheem Morris seems to be handling this character issues well. Williams, Winslow and even the problematic rookie out of Oregon, LaGarrette Blount are all becoming exceptional team players under Morris's coaching, so why not Moss?

8. Seattle Seahawks


Source: nfltouchdown.com

Pete Carroll likes big, athletic wide receivers; can you blame him? The Seahawks head coach has already made an attempt to acquire disgruntled Chargers wideout Vincent Jackson, and was in the hunt for Brandon Marshall during the offseason.

With Deon Branch gone and traded to New England, Carroll has a wide receiver core consisting of Deon Butler, rookie Golden Tate and his former USC star Mike Williams. Tell me Randy Moss couldn't help out this team.

And in the wide open NFC West, Moss could be the difference between making and not making the postseason.

9. Carolina Panthers

Source: zimbio.com

You do not have to tell me the Carolina Panthers have only one win on the season; I know they are not going to make the playoffs. But there is a plethora of talent on this team -- DeAngelo Williams, Jonathon Steward, Steve Smith -- the biggest question mark forever on this team is who can play opposite of Smith to improve this air attack?

Matt Moore may not be the answer at quarterback; and neither may Jimmy Clausen for that matter. But whichever one of these signal-callers takes  control of this offense could benefit from Moss's presence. 

Right now, rookie Brandon LaFell and some dude named  David Gettis are playing opposite of Smith -- yeah, the double-teams are not leaving the sight of number 89 anytime soon. It may not be the move to turn around the Panthers this season, but it is definitely a step in the right direction for 2011.

10. Tennessee Titans
Source: sportsillustrated.cnn.com

Wouldn't you love to see the Tennessee Titans with an elite wide receiver? I know Kenny Britt is an emerging star, but I don't think we can pull his talents in the Hall of Fame just yet.

Vince Young or Kerry Collins could really benefit from having Moss lining up in their offense; as would Chris Johnson, who would see another defender out of the box.

The problem is Jeff Fisher is a strong-minded, discipline-preaching head coach. He would not tolerant Moss's antics, and would not want to take a chance disrupting his team's chemistry by adding a possible cancer to his locker room.

It also works the other way, though, as maybe the presence someone like Fisher could keep Moss under control. Never say never, Titans fans.




Honorable Mentions: 

• 49ers: Moss and Michael Crabtree -- maybe there is some hope in San Fran, Jed York.
• Bears: Remember when Jay Cutler wasn't turning the ball over every other possession? Maybe the presence of Brandon Marshall had something to do with it. I think Moss could be a big target, too?
• Packers: Aaron Rodgers can make any wide receiver look good; imagine what he could do with Moss?

A Cutler-McNabb Swap Could Be The Best Move

A few years ago, one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in the game became a regular headline in NFL news. Jay Cutler, then the quarterback of the Denver Broncos, was unhappy with the organization's decision to cut ties with head coach Mike Shanahan. The result: a trade to the quarterback-starved Chicago Bears for a blockbuster deal, including multiple draft picks and Kyle Orton, who succeeded Cutler in Denver.

While playing for Da Bears, Cutler continues to find himself among the daily headlines. No, it's not because he has finally emerged as the prolific passer the Chicago fans have been long awaiting. Instead, Cutler finds himself on the list of most disappointing sports figures in the city.

In 22 games with the Bears, Cutler's stat line reads 34 touchdown passes and 33 interceptions -- not exactly what the team thought they were getting when they traded the house to attain him. 

 source: Chicagonow.com

While franchise (or who we think are franchise) quarterback trades are not the reg in the NFL, we saw a somewhat similar trade go down last offseason when the Philadelphia Eagles traded their 11-year starter to a divisional rival for a second-round draft pick.

In Philly, McNabb led his team to multiple NFC Championship Games and one Super Bowl, in which he fell to the decade's dynasty, the New England Patriots. And while much has been made about McNabb's success with the Eagles, an equal amount has been devoted to him hitting a wall.

McNabb's move to the Washington Redskins came due to the organization's move to bring in two-time Super Bowl-winning coach Mike Shanahan, who is notorious for developing quarterbacks. 

 source: NYdailynews.com

But yeah, we both know these stories -- what gives? Despite a hot start by the Bears in 2010, Cutlers' Bears have suddenly fallen back to reality. Many expected Cutler to thrive in a Mike Martz-coordinated offense, but so far that has not been the case. Cuter is inclined to turning the ball over, and that just does not sit well in a game plan that focuses on throwing that many times during a game. And the last time Martz had success with this offense -- the St. Louis Rams and the Greatest Show on Turf -- had the likes of Hall of Famers Marshall  Faulk, Torry Holt, Isaac Bruce and Kurt Warner.  Last time I checked, Cutler is no Kurt Warner. Johnny Knox, Devin Hester and Matt Forte...need I say more?

McNabb, on the other hand, was brought in to ignite a Redskins offense that ranked among the league's worse in 2009. While the team has improved to 4-4 this year, they sport just 20th-ranked offense, two spots better than when the offense was led by Jason Campbell. Their passing attack ranks right in the middle of the pack in the NFL.

So neither big move has had the effect that everyone wanted or expected them to have. The Bears and Skins both straddle that thin line of pretenders versus contenders in the league this year, both standing in the middle of their division races. But how much confidence can you have in the Bears with Cutler throwing interceptions in an attempt to get the ball out while defensive ends are jumping down his throat? And how do you expect the Skins to fare if the head coach thinks Rex Grossman gives his team the best shot to win with two minutes remaining in a close game against the Lions?

But as I mentioned earlier, there are some relationships that can still be revisited. Cutler thrived under Shanahan's tutelage in Denver, and if he favors Grossman over McNabb when the game in on the line, how inclined do you believe Daniel Snyder is to award McNabb a new deal when his contract expires at the conclusion of the season?

What's more interesting is McNabb helms from a little town where polish sausage is infamous, and they root for a little team called Da Bears. Every year, with the Philadelphia Eagles, trade speculation identified the Chicagoan roots as a possible reason to why McNabb would join the Bears, perhaps emerging as the quarterback they have always wanted and have continued to be live without (to this day).

All of the pieces to the puzzle are there, and yet another change of scenery for the two quarterbacks may be the best move of all. Let Shanny and Cutler reunite and recreate the magic they started with the Broncos; let McNabb run the Bears offense -- he clearly cannot thrive where he is not comfortable.