ESPN is billing this game as a "very special event". Because it's outdoors.

_________________

it must be a slow night in chicago, as the channel 5 news is leading with the OMFGitude of "OMFG THIS TCF FIELD UP THERE SUCKS" and "OMFG VIKINGS PUNTER CHRIS KLUWE TWEETED THAT THIS FIELD IS UNPLAYABLE"

i understand that coming out of a SNF game they're prolly hoping to hook a chunk of the remaining audience by starting off with football, but how is this really news? we've known that this field sucked from the moment it was brought up. at least the odd nature of this game will make it that much more of a "thing" tomorrow night.

also, with taj getting concussed and this ice brick shithole of a field i'm fearing that b&b is going to be CONCUSSIONRADIO 670 DER SCHNORE tomorrow... will doctor bernstein scoff at "score basketball insider" the goff's proclamation this morning that he thinks taj will play on tuesday? i think i'm going to end up with a concussion if the show ends up going down this road.

_________________

speaking of, there was a bonafide LOL this morning during ESPN's sunday NFL countdown. they were doing a feature om joe flacco, so leading into it they decided to start the "OMFG THIS DUDE IS TALL" vibe rolling with a graphic showing NFL quarterback height. they had a background graphic that acted as a height chart, and as they pop up quarterbacks they bookend it with flacco at 6'6" and drew brees at 6'. the average quarterback was listed as 6'3" and for the graphic they showed... jay cutler, bad body language and all.

so basically, in the middle of a screen there's a picture of jay cutler standing there with his arms folded looking displeased next to big lettering that said "AVERAGE QUARTERBACK (6'3")" --- that was my best LOL of the day, as clearly someone in the graphics dept out in bristol had fun with that one.

oh, and for your sig start up the QB rating for tebow. if tebow, even in limited playing time, ends up with a better QB rating than our jay cutler, then i think your point is proven and thensome. not to mention that orton is technically injured because, you know, there'd be riots in the streets if the broncos decided to voluntarily sit down a franchise quarterback like kyle ortman.

_________________

Mike Adamle is severely lacking in the skills of talking and reading.

_________________
You know me like that.

I was thinking the same exact thing. I didn't want to create a new topic but, yeesh, you're entire job is just to read a teleprompter. I guess a Northwestern education wasn't worth quite as much in the 1970s.

_________________
Fire Phil Emery

To add to the Vikings punter saying it's unsafe, ESPN had that Minnesota is also expecting 5-8 inches of snow. I don't blame the players for worrying about their safety, but it will be played at Gophers stadium and it could be intresting to see how the game goes.

He's hoping for a catastrophic injury.

Or maybe not. He's not sure.

_________________
You know me like that.

Nice poll question.

_________________

who cares what a punter has to say. when is the last time a punter affected the outcome of a game anyway?

_________________

after the buildup for this game and regarding the field, i dont think it is a stretch to say it is a special event. the ratings will be higher than they would be if it were in the dome, especially with the snow moving in. i know im tuning in, and i usually tune in MNF only if my team is playing.

I <3 American Gladiators!!!

_________________
To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

This could be rough for the Bears if only for the fact that they go from crazy cold in Soldier Field to really frozen field in Minnesota back to crazy cold in Soldier Field and then end the season in Green Bay. If there's a home playoff game you're looking at 5 really cold games in a row. If they beat Minnesota they clinch, so they need to just show up and win in the cold.

_________________
To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Vikings 27
Bears 13

People seem to be forgetting that talent wise this team is as good as the Bears. Throw in MNF, outdoor venue in Minnesota, their 50 year celebration and this doesn't look good to me.

_________________
Team Cutler.

yeah but on the vikes offensive side their QB situation blows. i think maybe they keep it close in the first quarter with a lot of energy and inspiration but by the second half, the bears should run away with it.

Vikings will be starting a rookie, third-string QB. I cant see the Vikings doing too much on offense. Turn overs will be the key.

_________________
Proud to be UNVERIFIED.

But Hub told me this guy has a lot of potential and he's never told a lie. I don't know, just a bad gut feeling in this one.

_________________
Team Cutler.

wait, hub said that? nevermind, throw out what i just said. shit. well good luck, i guess. damn.

I think this is going to be an ugly one. Has the look and feel of a trap game
even though all the advantages seem to favor the Bears. Let's just hope we
can get a W and no injuries.

Bears 17
Vikings 14

_________________
Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

What happens if the warm up and the Bears refuse to play on the field because it's unsafe? Is it a forfeit? Would both teams players need to be on board with this action? Based on Briggs' and Chris Harris' comments over the weekend, the Bears players, not the organizatino, are not on board with playing this game.

Which should make for some outstanding drama as Goodell is going to be in attendance .... replay of the All Star Game fiasco?

I doubt anyone actually believed the NFL really cared about player safety, but this seems like another good example of them not giving a shit.

Bert Farve upgraded to questionable.....

_________________

Yeah. Saw that on profootballtalk.com
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/12/20/vikings-upgrade-favre-from-out-to-questionable/

Favre is gonna do it for Johny, man!! He's gonna do it for Johny!! Johny being his former Green Bay Packers, of course.

The line is dropping quickly from 8.5 now down to 7. Hold me, I'm scared!

_________________
O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

I sense this Bears game being the subject of the beginning of the Brett Favre redemption segment after the last commercial break of the Brett Favre 40 for 40 documentary.

_________________
You know me like that.

Favre wants one last shot at Monday Night Football. One crushing hit and
being driven into the frozen ground would be a satisfactory ending to his
career. As long as the Bears are the one to do it I hope he tries to play.

_________________
Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

I hope they're happy! The Bears & Vikings will be playing 29 years to the day that Minnesota last played an outdoor home game and guess what? IT'S SNOWING!!! Here's hoping ESPN's Stuart "Booyah Boy" Scott slips & falls when he walks toward us to promote "SportsCenter" in the 4th quarter and then ends up on "America's Funniest Home Videos" with Tom Bergeron later in the season...

As for the game, snow or no snow, I'm giving the Bears a 16-6 edge to clinch the NFC North in a game that'll be a lot harder than people think.

Who does Tom Bergeron look like?

Also, if Stuart Scott falls and hits his head, will it fix his eye?

Inquiring minds want to know.

_________________

I remember Stuart was doing a story at Jets' Training Camp many years ago, SJ, for ESPN when he hurt that eye of his. "Booyah Boy" is as obnoxious and annoying as his fellow ESPN colleague who's fat ass is in the warm Bristol, CT studio, Chris Berman.

As for Tom Bergeron, he's supposed to be one of the best hosts in Hollywood. It seems hard to believe, but Bergeron's hosted "AFV" since 2002 and he's pretty good at showing hits to the guts, head & groins...