Bears – 17

Steelers – 14

This week 2 match up against the Steelers definitely proved to be a good test for the Bears after a disappointing week 1 loss to the Packers.  After a sluggish first quarter on offense, Jay Cutler and the Bears stepped up their game and got the ball moving a bit.  Timely offensive production and solid defense paved the way for an important Bears victory.

Cutler did exactly what he needed to do today to have a nice bounce back game.  He made safe throws to open receivers as he completed 27 of 38 passes for 236 yards, two touchdowns, and zero interceptions.  Cutler’s accuracy and his elusiveness in the pocket today were key factors in today’s victory over the Superbowl champs.  The receivers and tight ends struggled with some drops early on, but after the first quarter the hands became reliable.

The Bears defense looked shaky on the Steelers’ opening drive.  Big Ben Roethlisberger led the offense right down the field for a opening drive touchdown as the Bears secondary seemed unable to stop the pass.  However, the D improved greatly as the game went on.  They got pressure on Ben at the right times and forced timely 4th downs.  Certainly two missed field goals by Steelers kicker Jeff Reed in the 4th quarter helped, but overall the Defense kept the Bears in the game all day.

On the offensive side, rookie receiver Johnny Knox showed he is a reliable target in the passing game, hauling in 6 passes for 70 yards and a touchdown.  He made some really good grabs and showed he has the hands to make an impact this year.  Cutler will undoubtedly look his way more and more as the season progresses.  This may become an important connection since running the ball again proved difficult for Matt Forte and the offensive line.  The line again failed to open any holes for Forte to run through as he finished up with 29 yards on 13 carries.

Finally, the game was put away by a late Robbie Gould field goal.  After a field goal miss by Jeff Reed, Cutler and the Bears quickly moved into position to setup Gould for a 44 yard attempt.  Surprising no one, Gould drilled the kick, leaving the Steelers with only a few seconds remaining.  On the subsequent kickoff return, the Bears forced a fumble and Craig Steltz dove on the ball, sealing the victory for the Bears.

As always, there is room for improvement.  The offensive line really needs to do a better job opening holes for Forte.  The Bears can’t rely on the passing attack all season long and become one dimensional.  They need to establish an effective running game to make that passing attack even better.  Also, Tommie Harris was again a non-factor.  He made a great play as he burst through the line to record a tackle for loss, bringing his season tackle total to two.  He simply isn’t effective right now and should be on the bench.

The Bears were in need of a win today and they got it.  Starting 0-2 would not have been the end, but it would be a tough hole to climb out of.  Fortunately the Bears played a well rounded game and improved to 1-1 on the year.  The Bears need to carry this momentum into Seattle next week and get rolling with some wins.

Packers – 21

Bears – 16

With so much anticipation and excitement surrounding the Bears season opener, could there be a more pathetic way to start off?  From the start Jay Cutler and the Bears offense looked rattled.  Cutler couldn’t pass, the line couldn’t block, and Forte had no room to run.  Meanwhile, the Bears defense looked excellent as they kept the team in the game the entire night.  The good, the bad, and the ugly aspects of the game are discussed here.

The Good:

Defense: The Bears defense played very well tonight due to the play of the D-Line.  Aaron Rodgers was pressured early and often as the Bears recorded multiple sacks including a safety for the team’s first points of the season.  Ogunleye was consistently creating pressure while recording 2 sacks and hitting Rodgers numerous times.

Robbie Gould: For lack of other good aspects tonight, Robbie Gould gets the nod here.  He was perfect on two attempts, both of which gave the Bears the lead.  It’s always to see Robbie drilling kicks with perfect accuracy each and every week.

The Bad:

O-Line Blocking: Matt Forte could not find a hint of daylight tonight and Cutler faced pressure all night long.  Omiyale looked awful tonight as him and Orlando Pace were eaten alive all night on the left side.  The offensive line looked horrible tonight and must improve if the Bears are too be successful.

Jay Cutler/Receivers: The Bad Jay was clearly present in the first half tonight, throwing 3 horrendous interceptions.  2 could be credited to miss-communication and receiver error, but nevertheless they were bad throws.  Jay needs to learn when to eat the ball and not make the risky throw.  With these inexperienced receivers, risky throws are not going to have a happy ending very often.  Cutler seemed to settle down in the second half when he hooked up with Devin Hester for a 36 yard touchdown pass.  However, he quickly threw an interception on the first play of an attempted game winning drive to finish with 4 picks on the night.

Nathan Vasher: Vasher blew the coverage late in the game as Aaron Rodgers hit a wide open Greg Jennings for a game winning score.  Nathan Vasher needs to be benched. Also, he is officially stripped of the nickname, “the Interceptor.”  The old Vasher is gone and he isn’t coming back.  When your starting corner back stumbles on his most crucial coverage of the game, you know it is time to take him out.  What is the harm in putting in Zakary Bowman or Corey Graham?  They could not possibly be any worse than Vasher.

The Ugly:

Ron Turner Play Calling: Turner relied heavily on the pass early tonight as he failed to utilize the running game early.  Having a big arm quarterback does not mean the team needs to abandon the run.  Running the ball helps win games and in tonight’s case, might have resulted in less picks for Cutler.

Partick Mannelly: If long-snappers made the Hall of Fame, Mannelly would have been a certain first ballot entrant.  Until now.  Tonight he made possibly the most bonehead play any Bears fans have ever seen, and that says a lot.  With the Bears in their own territory on a 4th and long, Mannelly tried to take advantage of the Packers having 12 men on the field by quickly snapping the ball to the personal protector, Garrett Wolfe.  That 12th man had left the field prior to the snap and Wolfe ran for a handful of yards before being tackled.  Then, challenge happy Lovie Smith made his second bad challenge of the night and contested that the Packers had 12 men on the field.  The play stood as called and the Packers took over, leaving Bears fans everywhere scratching their heads and shouting obscenities.

Nathan Vasher: Vasher is both bad and ugly out there on the field.  It is as simple as that.

The Injury Bug: The Bears suffered some bad injuries tonight.  Pisa Tinoisamoa left the game early with a knee sprain and Urlacher soon followed with a dislocated wrist.  Desmond Clark went down as well later in the game but he said after the game he should be fine.  Trumaine McBride also went down with a knee sprain.  The key here are starting linebackers Urlacher and Tinoisamoa.  Comcast SportsNet just reported Tinoisamoa is suffering from a similar injury to Greg Olsen last year where he missed about 3 weeks.  Hopefully that is the worst it is for Tinoisamoa.  Regarding Urlacher, he needs to do whatever it takes to be out there next week.  However, early reports indicate he may need surgery.  This is obviously bad news and a big blow to the Bears defense if true.

With the exception of good defensive play, this was a really ugly game for the Bears.  This makes one wonder what the Bears were doing all preseason long.  So many of these mistakes tonight should have been worked out weeks ago.  Receiver/QB miss-communication is unacceptable when they have 4 exhibition games and all of training camp to work this out.

The Bears need a quick bounce back win next week, but unfortunately they take on the Superbowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers.  The Bears have the home field this time and the Steelers will be without the elite Troy Polamalu, but this is still a very difficult game for the Bears.  The Steelers are a good team where ever they play and they have enough talent on defense without their star safety to still cause problems for the Bears.

There is no need to panic just yet, but there are big improvements to be made for next week and for the remainder of the season if the Bears want to be competitive.

It feels like forever but finally the Bears will again take the field for regular season action.  Tomorrow’s prime time showdown will feature the best rivalry in the NFL as the Bears travel to Lambeau Field to take on the Packers.  This week 1 match up is crucial for both teams as both are expected to compete for the top of the division.  Expect this game to be an offensive battle as both teams have their problems on defense.

This game will provide immediate insight on how the Bears secondary can play against a high powered passing attack.  With Aaron Rodgers at the helm of a talented and proven receivers corp, this Packers offense will be difficult to stop by the Bears weak secondary.  If the Bears can get a solid pass rush on a weak Green Bay offensive line, the secondary will certainly have an easier day.  This is absolutely a key to victory tomorrow.

On the offensive side the Bears should be able to run wild against the Packers.  Look for Matt Forte to have a big day on the ground as he gashes through the Packers new 3-4 defense like it’s nothing.  Maintaining a solid running game and thus keeping the defense on their toes will open the doors for Jay Cutler to look downfield for some nice completions.

Another important issue to watch for tomorrow is the play of the Bears wide receivers.  One of the WRs needs to step up and emerge as a legitimate go to receiver.  Greg Olsen will certainly be Cutler’s go to guy this season but defenses will key in on that quickly, leaving Cutler to look elsewhere.  Earl Bennett will likely be the one who steps up and solidifies himself as a wide receiving threat in key situations.  He looked good in preseason action while Cutler looked his way often.

Special teams will also be key in tomorrow night’s matchup.  The Bears are consistently excellent on special teams play and they get the edge here.  If Devin Hester can re-emerge as an elite returner, look for him as an X-Factor tomorrow.

The Pick:

Both teams should be able to put up some points with high powered offensive attacks tomorrow.  While the Packers passing attack will likely expose the Bears defense, the Bears D will make the necessary plays late in the game in order to seal a victory.  This game will be a close offensive battle, but the Bears get the edge on defense in this one and that will be the deciding factor in what would otherwise be a even match up.  The Bears defense may not be great but they get the edge on the Packers.

Bears – 31

Packers – 27

Bears – 27

Broncos – 17

Rarely do preseason games pack this much emotion and intensity into a match up.  But, after one team trades away their franchise QB to another team, an exhibition match up between the two is certain to include a little something special.  Also, rarely do crowds boo so hard and loudly that the cameras shake during the game.  This was clearly the case as Jay Cutler took the field as the Bears squared off against Kyle Orton and the Denver Broncos.

The Good:

Jay Cutler: There is no way Jay was able to ignore those boos early in the game as he got off to a shaky start.  However, he quickly rebounded and was able to lead the offense to 17 points.  He connected on 15 of 21 passes for 144 yards and a touchdown.  The highlight of the night for Jay was late in the second quarter when he led the offense on a 98 yard touchdown drive that ended with a TD pass to Matt Forte.  He was poised and determined throughout the entire drive as the offense marched almost effortlessly down the field.  The only downside of the drive was that Jay under-threw an open Devin Aromashodu for a sure touchdown.  Although the completion would have been nice, it did not hurt the offense as they continued to roll down the field.

Greg Olsen: Olsen is ready for a monster year.  Tonight he brought in 3 catches for 47 yards as Cutler looked to him often.  The best part about Olsen is his reliable hands.  He has the ability to make any catch and secure that ball before he cuts upfield with his great speed.  Bears fans should look forward to seeing this connection often throughout the 2009 season as Greg Olsen makes a run for the Pro Bowl.

The Defense: The Bears starting D put up another great performance while holding Denver to only a field goal in the first half.  Orton was able to complete some underneath throws but the Bears were able to limit those yards as well as the rushing yards.  This resulted in 5 punts and 1 field goal on the Broncos first half possessions.  If the Bears D can play like this in the regular season this team will be hard to beat.

The Bad

Orlando Pace: Pace has openly admitted that he struggles blocking against small defensive ends.  This was clearly evident tonight as he was consistently beat by the 5′11″ Elvis Dumervil.  Hopefully this handicap doesn’t hurt Pace too much in 2008 as he should have the experience and skill to adjust and protect the QB better than he did tonight.  Although Denver did not record any sacks, Cutler was under some great pressure from that left side early in the game.

Trumaine McBride: After tonight’s performance, McBride should not be allowed on the field while the Bears are on defense.  On 3 different occasions he missed big tackles as he dove at the ballcarriers and completely missed.  He is a liability as a tackler and lucky for the Bears defense is pretty far down on the depth chart.

The results of the game were not much of a surprise.  Cutler clearly proved what he and the offense are capable of last week and the defense has been excellent all preseason long.  With this great combination of a scoring offense and excellent defense the Bears will be seeing lots of wins in the 2009 season.

Bills- 27

Bears- 20

This new weekly piece will cover the Bears latest game and basically touch on the good and bad points in the game.

The long awaited first preseason Bears game came, went, and disappointed many.  When the game finally ended the Bears left with lots of room for improvement and a 27-20 loss.  This specific piece will focus on the good, the bad, and the ugly aspects of tonight’s loss.

The Good:

Al Afalava

The rookie safety lived up to his brief hype tonight.  While he wasn’t tested much in pass coverage, he consistently broke quickly to provide run support and even made a great stop in the trenches while shedding a block.  He started the game and most of his action came against the Bills first team offense.  Right now there seems to be great potential for him at a position that the Bears need strong production out of.

Brian Urlacher

Simply put, Urlacher looked fast.  He seems to have regained the burst that he seemed to have lost the past two seasons.  Hopefully this continues throughout the season as he provides a dominant force at the middle linebacker position.

Caleb Hanie

Hanie completed 8 of 11 passes for 87 yards and a touchdown after taking over for Cutler in the second quarter.  After Brett Basanez went 3 for 11 with a touchdown and 3 picks, Hanie has likely solidified himself as the number 2 quarterback unless Basanez greatly outplays him the next 3 weeks.  However, Basanez’s touchdown pass was a great throw and probably the best of the night from any QB.

The Bad:

Defensive pass rush

The Bears pass rush seems to have picked up right where it left off last year.  They just weren’t getting the push needed to consistently put pressure on the Bills QBs.  This in turn freed up the receivers as the Bills QBs were able to complete 29 of 34 passes.  Preseason or not, allowing 85% completions is not acceptable.

Devin Hester

Hester hauled in 2 catches for 22 yards in one quarter of action.  I certainly didn’t expect much from him in one quarter so his receiving numbers are not what concerns me.  In fact, he looked good on a deep route over the middle that resulted in a 20 yard catch from Cutler.  The problem with Hester in tonight’s game was his resistance to go up and try to prevent a Cutler interception.  On the Bears’ second offensive possession, Cutler tried to go deep but came up a bit short and Hester had to stop and come back for the ball a bit.  This made an easy interception for Bills cornerback Leodis McKelvin.  However, Hester did nothing to prevent the pick.  He simply stood there and looked the ball into McKelvin’s hands.  In this situation where a pick is likely because of a poor throw, Hester needs to spring into action and play defender.  He needs to at least jump and try to get a hand up there to bat it down.  That was pathetic.

The Jay Cutler Pick

Cutler can’t be criticized too much after only one quarter of sub par QB play, but the interception he threw was pretty awful.  The ball was badly under thrown which angers me because Cutler has been advertised to have “the arm to make all the throws.” Over the long haul though this will probably work out and he will hit that pass more times than not.  For the time being however, that throw was just plain bad.

Defensive Coordinator Lovie

Like said previously, the defense seemed to pick up right where it left off last season.  However, Bears fans were put at ease when after the 2008 season Lovie Smith assumed all defensive playcalling responsibilities.  Well, tonight’s game showed no improvements over the play calling from last year.  The same bend but don’t break scheme seemed to be in effect while the Bills just picked the Bears apart with the short slant routes.  Gameplans for first preseason games are generally limited if anything at all, but Lovie again showed no signs to make adjustments mid game and move away from what wasn’t working.

The Ugly:

Offensive Coordinator Ron Turner

Calling pass after pass after pass after pass is not the way to win football games.  The first series of the game opened with 3 straight pass plays.  Turner now has Cutler to play with on the field but that does not mean he should abandon the run game.  The Bears threw the ball 32 times and only ran it 17 times.  This is not a winning formula.  In addition, Jeff Joniak mentioned early in the 4th quarter that out of 11 offensive possessions, 8 went for either zero or one first down.  It seems like Turner was trying stretch the field too often instead of picking up first downs and moving the chains slowly.  Again, this is not a recipe for success on offense.  Moving the chains is the key to keeping the defense rested as well.

After tonight, Jay Cutler does not fall into any category.  He was neither good, bag, or ugly.  He disappointed many but people need to remember that this was only the first season game.  When Cutler gets to play a full game we will all see his full potential and see the quarterback he is cabable of being and has been in the past.

The big day is finally right around the corner.  Tomorrow, July 31, the Bears report for their first practice of the long anticipated training camp.  With training camp come numerous questions that surround the Bears team this year.  Here are a few things to look out for this training camp:

1. Jay Cutler. This one is a no brainer.  Every single Bears fan has been itching to see him in full practice.  We know he can play ball, but is he going to be able to lead this offense to a playoff caliber?  Even with the lack of receivers, he still has some weapons in Matt Forte and Greg Olsen.   Cutler and Olsen have already developed a good relationship, and hopefully that continues onto the field.  If so, we could see Greg playing in the pro bowl this year.  The other question, will Cutler be able to get a lot out of the Bears inexperienced receivers?  A good quarterback can get good production out of mediocre receivers and the Bears are going to need that for success.  Devin Hester should be in for a decent year but more important is to also get production from the 2 and 3 receivers.  If Cutler can get these young guys going, us fans are in for a treat this season.
2. Defensive Line. A key to the Bears defensive success is the defensive line.  Last season, there were countless third and longs that were converted simply because the Bears could not produce a good pass rush.  This off-season they have brought in Rod Marinelli to coach the D-line.  The success on defense starts with the line and hopefully Marinelli can get them moving in the right direction.  Tommie Harris is another important factor.  If healthy, he can be an absolute monster.  The problem is at time he doesn’t seem to be giving a full effort.  This season, he needs to get down to business and cause havoc in those trenches so our LBs and secondary can have it a bit easier.  Similarly, the ends need to be more of a dominant force.  Alex Brown led the team with 6 sacks last season and Ogunleye totaled 5.  Both of them need to be getting to the quarterback more to take pressure off the rest of the defense.
3. Brian Urlacher. How is Brian Urlacher going to perform this season?  It has been reported that he is close to the best shape of his career, but how much of that is simply a product of the “Bears PR Machine?”  Regardless, Urlacher needs to perform at a high level this season and the defense performance highly depends on it.  If Urlacher can get back to pro bowl form and the defensive line improves, this defense will be tough to beat.
4. Secondary. With Tillman already expected to miss some training camp action at the least, the Bears secondary is even weaker than previously advertised.  Nathan Vasher needs to stay healthy and get back to his old ballhawk form, otherwise it is time to place him on the bench and let some of the younger players get some time.  The safety position is where I feel the Bears are weakest.  Kevin Payne is serviceable, but he needs to learn to wrap up a ball carrier and not go for the knockout hit each time.  Daniel Manning is slated to start training camp at free safety.  He has great athletic ability, but that does not make up for his lack of skill and instincts at the safety position.  They also plan to move him to the nickel position and move Steltz to free safety on passing downs.  I like Steltz but have too many memories of him getting run over by running backs, both last season and at LSU.  If he is going to be in on passing downs, he needs to display good instincts and a nose for the ball otherwise teams will pick him apart.  Last season the Bears ranked 30th in pass yards allowed.  If that doesn’t improve they will be in for a very long season.
5. Offensive Line. With the addition of Orlando Pace, the Bears definitely improved the line this year.  If he can stay healthy and Chris Williams succeeds on the other side, this line should be more than enough to open holes for Forte and protect Cutler.  Josh Beekman will battle Frank Omiyale for the left guard spot.  Who is the answer here?  Beekman started all 16 games last season but he really needs to step up his game or he risks losing his job.  The left guard options are not ideal, but the rest of the line should be solid enough to hold up and do its job well overall.

Of course there are other areas to focus on in training camp, but those previous 5 are worth keeping an eye on as well.

Also, keep an eye on the potential rift between Urlacher and Cutler.  Matt Williams at Blog Chicago Sports thinks that it is no big deal if the two stars hate each other.  Personally, I disagree and feel that they need to get along in order to bring success to the team.  Matt says as long as the Bears can win, who cares if they don’t play nice.  Very true.  But, I don’t think winning will come easily if the two are at odds with each other.  They need to get their act together and do what is best for the team.  Get along, play hard, and win.  It is a team effort out there after all.

The NFC North division is wide open right now, and it really does seem like the Bears have the best chance at winning it.  They have the quarterback, the running game, and a defense that plays good enough to win ball games.  No other team in the division has all of those key areas figured out.  The Packers will be lucky to play any good defense this year with the switch to the 3-4 and the Vikings QB situation is reminiscent of the Bears in years past.

Good luck to the Bears in camp.  Let’s hope the injury bug stays away so we can hit the ground running with all our starters on the field.  Bear down!

Although he is entering the season as the Bears primary receiver, Devin Hester is especially excited and eager to return kicks.  Most importantly, he is looking to bounce back from his 2008 season where he failed to return any kicks back for touchdowns.

According to a recent article on ChicagoBears.com, Hester is going to try to benefit from more experienced special teams blockers this season.  Also, he is striving to focus on more north/south running.

Running north might be the most important thing for Hester to focus on this season in the return game.  Last season, it was obvious he was trying to break a long return each time by cutting sideways too often and dancing all over the field, only to lose 3 yards and or fumble the ball.  According to the article, Devin agrees that more northbound running is the key, but let’s see if he can stick to that game plan.  I certainly don’t expect him to break a touchdown on each return as I would rather see him pick up a few yards each time, and maybe then find some space in the open field.

In other Bears news, training camp is 10 days away.  I have never in my life been this excited for a Bears season to begin.  There is just such a great buzz surrounding the team, almost all due to the Jay Cutler acquisition.  This is a big season for sure.  The fans have high expectations, and jobs may be on the line if the Bears fail to live up to the expectations.

The addition of Jay Cutler finally gives the Bears a legitimate quarterback to compete at a high level in the NFL. Still, the Bears QB package is not getting much respect in the rankings. Fox Sports released their rankings of the NFL’s quarterback packages and the Bears fall at a dismal 19th!

Here is what the ranking had to say about the Bears QB situation:

Well, at least now the Bears finally have one legitimate, top-shelf QB. They just may not have anyone behind him if Cutler ever gets hurt. First, how good is Cutler? Critics point to his off-season pouting in Denver, his 18 interceptions in 2008 and fact that he’s never led a team to the playoffs. But he did have a horrible defense in Denver, which on paper the Bears should be an improvement. But Caleb Hanie and Brett Basanez as backups? Chicago’s front office should be ashamed to head into the season with no proven backup.

Now, I understand that the Bears have no contingency plan in case of a Cutler injury, but I still think 19th is a bit low considering the Pro Bowler will be the starter. Looking at the list, it is almost irritating to see some of the teams ahead of the Bears.

The Texans QB package, led by Matt Schaub come in at number 13. Matt Schaub has had a lot of hype surrounding him since joining the Texans, but his first two seasons have been less than stellar while there. He is certainly an efficient quarterback, protecting the ball and keeping drives alive when needed, but he has yet to really pan out into a big threat.  Plus, he hasn’t stayed healthy for a whole season while in Houston.

Then there are the Texans backups: Dan Orlovsky, Rex Grossman, and Alex Brink. Seriously? If the Bears are knocked because Caleb Hanie and Brett Basanez aren’t solid backups, how can these guys be any better? This is what the ranking said about Orlovsky and Wrecks:

Orlovsky often gave the terrible Lions their best chance at winning in ‘08 and Grossman did lead the Bears to the Super Bowl once. It could be worse.

Orlovsky often gave the Lions their best chance at winning? Obviously Adrian Hasenmayer at FoxSports missed this game last season:

That play will forever be burned into my memory in terms of complete hilarity. You don’t see many worse QB plays than that one.

The Texans backups have NFL experience, which Hanie and Basanez lack, but Orlovsky and Grossman are absolute garbage.

Then, at number 12 are the Bills Trent Edwards, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Gibran Hamdan, and Matt Baker. Edwards isn’t bad but who the hell are Gibran Hamdan and Matt Baker? Hamdan is 1 for 2 in his NFL career according to espn.com, and those pass attempts came in 2003. How can this package be 7 spots in front of Cuter, Hanie, and Basanez?!

The top 10 is pretty good, except for the Panthers at number 6. Their package includes Jake Delhomme, Josh McCown (who looks a lot like Zack Morris on Saved By the Bell), Matt Moore, and Hunter Cantwell. Now, I’ve been saying for years that Delhomme is the most overrated player in the NFL today. I will stand by that for the rest of his career, or until he actually leads his team to a superbowl win, which ever comes first. With the exception of 2 very good stat seasons, the rest of his career has been slightly above average. But, people don’t let go of those numbers he put up 3 years ago so now him and his crappy backups fall in at number 6 in the rankings.

Tony Romo is probably number 2 on my top overrated players list. He and his backup Jon Kitna fall in at number 5. A bit high if you ask me, but I don’t want to get into a big rant about them now. I’ll let this picture do the talking:

Anyways, ranking the Bears at 19 is a bit ridiculous.  I know the backups are unproven, but Cutler alone should move the Bears into the top 15, ahead of Matt Cassel and the Chiefs.  Cassel has only played one season on the best team in football.  The guy could turn out to be complete garbage, who knows.  I say he will.

And last and definitely least on the list, the Denver Broncos!  Kyle Orton, Chris Sims, and Tom Brandstater.  Again Denver, we here in Chicago can’t thank you enough.  Way to take a big step back McDaniels.