Bears can't afford another home loss
The Chicago Bears are getting ready to play football against the Miami Dolphins in what could almost be considered a hostile environment.
Wait, you say, it's in Chicago. Yes it is, but with an 0-2 home record it looks like being on the road at 3-1 might foster a better mentality for this team.
Maybe it's an us-against-them attitude, or the players find it easier to focus on the road because of fewer distractions, but it's time to squelch the home-field disadvantage and beat the mediocre Dolphins (2-3).
While the Bears should win this game easily, I'm worried about a couple of things. Are the Bears putting too much pressure on themselves at home? Where is that home-field advantage? If it existed this year, wouldn't they have a win by now?
I know it's still early with only two games played at Soldier Field, but I think this game is very important to their season.
The Bears are 3 ½ point favorites over the Dolphins, a middling NFL team at best. This Bears team was supposed to be headed to the playoffs, and I believe still is, but the Bears can't lose this home game.
I don't have an answer. Maybe they should dress in the visitor locker room, or wear their road jerseys. They could even put the Bears as the visitors on the scoreboard, or ask the fans to boo when the Bears have the ball.
Hey, I'm just kidding, but they do have to get the monkey off their back this week. Losing this game and being 0-3 at home won't get it done.
Prediction: Bears win, 23-21.
Shorter games or season?
I couldn't agree more with LeBron James and other current and former stars who think shortening the length of NBA games is a bad idea.
On Sunday, the Brooklyn Nets will host the Boston Celtics at the Barclay Center in a 44-minute preseason game as an experiment. Instead of 12-minute quarters, they will play 11-minute quarters. James said players aren't worried about those extra 4 minutes, but they do want to play fewer games.
Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra and Dallas Maverick star Dirk Nowitzki agree, and think the number of games should be reduced.
Michael Jordan says shorter games aren't the answer, but he doesn't want to shorten the season either. As an NBA owner of the Bobcats, Jordan knows fewer games means less money for everyone - owners and players.
Right now the players are paid to play 48 minutes in an 82-game season. The owners might continue to try, but I doubt the games will be shortened. The stats would be skewed, and "if it ain't broke don't fix it."
The NBA's fine the way it is. Leave it alone.
Program notes:
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