Amazing that Bears found Orton under their noses

So the Bears have discovered that Kyle Orton can play quarterback in the NFL.

Shocking.

This is after years of having Rex Grossman shoved down our throats, and listening to the notion that Orton would never be more than a game manager, after they took the playbook away from him his rookie year.

How does that look now?

Let's not go overboard, because he's not yet John Elway, but some of us did see this even when the Bears couldn't.

To borrow from the legend himself, George Costanza, "With all due respect my friend, no one is a bigger idiot than me.''

And, yet, each year, beginning with the week he was drafted, all the way through last year and this summer, I have wondered right here in this space why the Bears would not give Orton a chance.

Even in 2006, when Grossman was having his name placed before Hall of Fame voters, and Orton was moved to No. 3 on the depth chart behind Brian Griese, I continued to state that Orton would someday start and win for the Bears - if ever given the opportunity.

This is hardly the stuff of genius, folks. I watched him at Purdue and saw a big, strong QB who could take a hit and wasn't afraid to stand in the pocket and make a play.

I saw a guy who was calm under pressure, who protected the ball, and tried to avoid sacks.

Best of all, he was able to read a defense, audible at the line, and take what the defense would give him. He was good in the no-huddle, and efficient in the two-minute drill.

I never said he was a Hall of Famer, but in today's NFL, being a leader who inspires confidence in the huddle is a lot, and it was obvious to anyone who bothered to look that he had qualities and size that no other QB on the Bears' roster possessed.

This is nothing more than seeing a kid who had talent and deserved the chance others were getting mostly because they were picked higher or were somehow more popular.

The question I have to ask is, if someone with a winning percentage as bad as mine could have seen this four seasons ago, how could the Bears have been so obtuse?

North vs. South

There's an interesting race shaping up if Darrin Jackson leaves the White Sox and Bob Brenly leaves the Cubs.

Dan Plesac would be an excellent fit for the Sox' radio job or the Cubs' TV job, and one if not both of those jobs may soon be vacant.

Ivan Boldirev-ing

Strictly from an offensive standpoint, it's difficult to remember in the last two decades the Blackhawks having a trio better than Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and Brian Campbell.

Perhaps not since Denis Savard, Steve Larmer and Doug Wilson have the Hawks been able to put together a power-play combo this potent, and if they can find a big body to stick in front - maybe Troy Brouwer - they should be brilliant with the man-advantage.

Changing time

Like Lou Piniella arriving on the scene, with every game he views, Joel Quenneville is making changes and judging personnel.

Nothing's been more obvious than how aggressive the Hawks have been on the power play, which is quickly paying dividends.

In general, the Hawks are freelancing less and forechecking more, defensemen are stepping up sooner at their own blueline, and forwards have been consistently getting back to help, even Martin Havlat.

The results speak volumes.

Ticking time bomb

Jonathan Toews has yet to score in seven games, but he's creating excellent chances and when the first one goes in, don't be surprised if he pours in a couple more in the same game.

The details

Late in Wednesday's game, Joel Quenneville put Troy Brouwer out on a penalty kill in his first game with the club this year.

That may seem like a small thing, but a smart coach knows how to reward a player, while giving him confidence, responsibility, and ownership in the club.

And those little things add up in a big way.

Rallying cry

Phillies T-shirts are carrying the phrase, "Why Can't Us?"

If you're an XM Radio listener, you know this came from the Baseball Channel when "Marty from Delaware'' called in and asked that very question.

His grammar led to the shirts and has raised more than $5,000 for the ALS Foundation.

Horse sense

Someone needs to explain why the Breeders' Cup took one of the great events in sports, watered it down, and spread it out over two days.

If they wanted it to be the Super Bowl of racing, they already had it, and now they've lost it.

Shameful.

And finally ...

Dan Daly of the Washington Times: "Roger Goodell sure has been handing out fines lately. I can't make up my mind whether he's trying to clean up the game or build a strike fund for 2011."

brozner@dailyherald.com