Should be a great time at On Deck this weekend in Brew Town

Last year was my first year going to the Brewers On Deck event and I must say it is probably one of the best times I had being around the team. Yes, I know I've been to a ton of games and have even met some of the guys out and about in Milwaukee, but in January, when I am hankering for anything Brewers more than probably any other time of year (Especially this year with the way the Bears season ended), this surely is a great time to engulf myself in the Brewers.
Last year I met and got autographs from Casey McGehee, Randy Wolf and John Axford, pre-mustache. This year, I'm already starting to plot out my plan of attack on getting some of the stars of the team. The schedule is on Brewers.com and I've come up with this...
Rickie Weeks is signing on Stage 2 from 11:30-12:15 for $10
Shaun Marcum is on stage 4 from 2-2:45 for $10
Jonathon Lucroy is free on stage 5 from 2:30-3:15
Chris Narveson is on stage 1 from 3:30-4:15 for $10
John Axford is on Stage 5 from 3:45-4:30 for $10
Of course, all of this relies on when I get in for Bob Uecker, Robin Yount, Ryan Braun, Corey Hart and Zack Greinke in the $25 auction. If I can get in for one of those guys it would change my outlook on the others, but I have one chance to get one of those five and they only draw 250 tickets for each of those five, so pickings are quite slim. I just have to hope.


I wrote an Examiner.com piece on why you should go and you should. Check the link, here.
The Brewers have also sent out word there is an official Hashtag for the event. Be sure to use #BrewersOnDeck when mentioning the event on Twitter. Here's the widget. You can also follow the same Tweets on Brewers.com.




OK, time to get right into the Nussie Hunter portion of the show today. My boys at Guyism.com have done it again and as DC Scrap, the editor of the site says, Camilla Belle has a ridiculous stomach. Check it out below, then give a look at more here if you like.

Brewers On Deck place to be in Brew Town Sunday

Just posted on Examiner.com my story on why you should go to Brewers On Deck this weekend.
Check the link below. I'll have more in a blog post here, in a few minutes.
BREWERS ON DECK PLACE TO BE SUNDAY IN MILWAUKEE

One thing Jay Cutler is not is a quitter

Sorry, I'm a little late on reacting to the final Bears game of the season (Insert Packers fan laughs here), but I had a bit of family business to tend to. I figure I have to get in with my take on this nonsense with Jay Cutler. All of the hate coming out from people has made me more upset about that than the season being over and to, of all teams, the Packers.
The fact that Jay "quit" or "gave up" or "wasn't tough" were not on my mind during the game Sunday. I have covered countless high school sporting events and seen many kids get hurt on the field and not a single person questions whether or not they gave up. Mark Schlereth of ESPN is one who said he had 20 knee surgeries because he played with so many injuries. Well, Mark, I'm sorry you won't be able to walk around with your grandkids in 20 years, but happy you sacrificed that to play football.
Yes, this was the biggest game of Jay's career. Yes, he was the most important player on the offensive side of the ball. Yes, it is very ironic the healthiest team in a conference championship game in 10 years lost a key player in  its biggest game of the season. But to call out his toughness is absolute ignorant and trash.
I can't ever remember an athlete having their toughness questioned by fellow players who were not at the game. This wasn't his teammates calling him out, but people that were not at the game and only went by what they saw on TV. I find it utter bull crap that guys that call it a fraternity when they refer to being a player in the NFL, would stoop to such a level.
I know Jay isn't well liked around the league. Most of it stems from what he did when Josh McDaniels came to Denver. Well, McDaniels is now out in Denver and the guy the Broncos got for Jay, Kyle Orton, is back on the trading block there again. Just showing what Denver traded away. Then again, it's the same reason those in New York don't like Eli Manning and he's been a Super Bowl MVP, body language. He is not a firey leader. That is not him.
Then, to top it off the uneducated are claiming that Caleb Hanie could be the Bears starter next year. Come on people. Be smart here. He played well, but didn't win the game. Let him work on things and see how he develops. For those who say Jay didn't help him during the game, you are mistaken and only went by what was shown on TV. Of course Jay was a bit pouty, for lack of a better word, after the doctors told him he was done, but when he cooled down, he was there to help Caleb in making some reads and reminding him to use his feet.
It is now early Thursday morning and this is still an issue and it is ridiculous. Even Aaron Rodgers, who played in the game, called it "disrespectful" that Jay caught all this flack. I will not argue with anyone he didn't play well at all, but to say a guy who was sacked 57 times during the season isn't tough, is ridiculous. You can tell by the way Olin Kruetz and Brian Urlacher were emphatic in their defense of him, this was not like Scottie Pippen or Cedric Benson taking themselves out of games with minor injuries or big-game jitters. This was legit and he should have been given the benefit of the doubt.


Alright, enough of that, and on to the actual game and what is ahead for the Bears. Monday's press conference from General Manager Jerry Angelo said Lovie Smith deserves an extension and I agree. He took a team that many thought should win six game and won 12.
There are a few areas of need, and the biggest is offensive line. I see them targeting that area first. Maybe through the draft, but more likely through free agency. It depends on what is out there. There is also a chance to improve at wide receiver. I would like to see them get a physical guy, but I'm not sure how it fits into the Martz offense. On defense, the question marks surrounding Tommie Harris' future are looming. There is an outside chance the Bears could become players for Alex Haynesworth, which emphasizes the need to get production out of the interior of the defensive line. I'd also like to see something done at cornerback on the side opposite Peanut Tillman and at safety, but I'm thinking with Major Wright and Chris Harris, the Bears have a good combo.
Angelo made it clear he plans to change some parts in the offeseason, which is a good sign. You always want to be improving. As a fan, you just have to be ready to lose some former key parts, with the hope it makes things better down the road. After this season, I have a renewed faith in what the Bears braintrust can do.

OK, this is my last Bears blog of the season until probably the draft, so the Nussie Hunter is helping out in giving a tribute to send us off the for the final time this season. It's been a great ride and I"m glad to have a renewed interest in the blog. I hope you have enjoyed it too and will continue to have fun and get involved on here by commenting.
To honor the Bears, we have Jaime Edmondson, who was at Playboy.com today showing off duds for all 32 NFL teams. Yeah, she looks pretty good. You can check out all of them here, and the Bears shot, below.

Clock is ticking toward Bears-Packers at Soldier Field

The weekend is here and the Bears and Packers in the NFC Championship game is just around the corner now. I did not think the week could go by fast enough, but it is finally here. I have a couple of great things set for today. Also, be sure to take a look at our mailbag in Thursday's blog with some fans' picks on what is going to happen in the game.



Sports Countdown Clock Generator
Now to some breaking down of what is on tap for Sunday's game. I've reached out to a good Packers friend, Josh Golberg, who will give five keys for the Packers and I'll come back with five keys for the Bears.

1. Momentum. Nobody wants to play the hot team heading into the playoffs and no team is hotter than Green Bay. The Packers have won four straight going back to two must-win games to close out the season. They seem to be peaking at the right time. (You could argue that New Orleans/Seattle were hot teams heading in…but they played each other)
2. The running game. If you would have told me midseason that 25 carries for 66 yards by your main running back against the #1 seed in the NFC on the road would be enough to carry a dominant passing attack and earn an upset…I would have asked for whatever you were smoking. But the resurgence of the ground game with Brandon Jackson, and more recently James Starks, has kept defenses honest and allowed Aaron Rodgers to pick opponents apart. It doesn’t matter if the Bears held offenses to an average of 90 yards rushing during the regular season. They at least now have to account for somebody running the ball effectively.
3. Aaron Rodgers. There isn’t a QB that has played better in the postseason…and not just because the Patriots, Saints and Colts are all out. Rodgers is coming off of what many people are saying is the best postseason performance in history: 31 of 36 passes, 366 yards, 3 TDs, passer rating of 136.8. Ran for a 4th TD. In fact he has 10 TD passes in his first three career postseason games, an NFL record. Against Chicago this year, he’s a combined 53 for 73 with 2 TDs, 2 INTs and a combined passer rating of 91.1. Definitely mortal-like numbers. He’ll have to break that mold Sunday.
4. Dom Capers. Show me a defensive coordinator who has done more with less. Seriously. Ten players on IR. 10. That’s almost enough to form an entire defense. Starters/backups/3rd stringers. No coordinator has had to tweak things more to the constantly changing strengths and weaknesses…yet they still wound up with the 5th ranked defense when the regular season was concluded. I wouldn’t want anyone else gameplanning for an opponent.
5. The receiving corps. Possession receiver? Check (Driver). Downfield threat? Check (Jennings). Emerging threat? Check (Jones). Token white guy who seems to be forgotten about only to come up big? Check (Nelson). No defensive secondary can cover those four plus account for a tailback or a tight end. Top to bottom, Green Bay has the best receivers in the league. Their #1 or #2 might not be as good as some teams, but combine them all and they’re the best. Throw in Rodgers and you’ve got an explosive passing attack. They’ll dink-and-dunk you down the field and just when you make a mistake, they’ll make you pay for it.
Prediction: Packers 31, Bears 17


Now to the Bears keys to success Sunday.
1. Good Jay. It's tops on the list and it is the most important because how Jay Cutler goes, so goes the offense. He played in his first playoff game last week and showed he was not above the moment and had one of his best games of the season. Some of what he is able to do Sunday is not tied directly to him, as he needs the front five to make sure he is not getting the tar beat out of him. Is there any doubt to think Jay will not continue to play smart? No. He has been on point for the last two months and has limited his poor decisions. For his sake, the sack is the lesser of two evils when compared to an interception.
2. Make James Starks a nonfactor. Starks rushed for 66 yards against the Falcons, but 123 against the Eagles where he was an even bigger factor. It will not take much for him to be a factor and do all the Packers need in just planting an idea of the run, but to silence him has to be a key objective for the Bears. Making the Packers turn away from the running game on 2nd and 1 and 3rd and 1 will set the tone for the defense and make them one dimensional. That will open things up for the defensive line to pin their ears back.
3. Get pressure with the front four. Speaking of the defensive line, those front four of mainly Julius Peppers, Tommie Harris, Anthony Adams and Israel Idonoje need to establish pressure on Aaron Rodgers, but with a slight purpose. Consider this an extension of limiting the run game in containing Rodgers and not letting him use his feet to create. Keeping the pocket from moving will set things up for the line and help the secondary.
4. Create turnovers. There is no secret the Bears defense is one of the best in the league at creating opportunities for themselves. Against the Packers it seems they always find a way to force a key fumble when the Green Bay is knocking on the door and getting a key interception, even on Rodgers. If Chris Harris plays like he has been announced he will with his injury, look for the secondary to have to come up big with a great GB secondary. It's all bend but don't break and they can give up yards, if they create opportunities by hawking the ball.
5. Special teams domination. I would expect little argument from Packers backers that the Bears have an elite special teams unit compared to the Packers. In the regular season finale Devin Hester was kept rather silent, but I don't expect that to happen again. He needs to help flip field position and help the offense work a short field to scores. Even if he forces the Packers to kick the ball short or out of bounds, it would work to the Bears advantage most of the time. I do not expect Tim Mastahay to have the game he had in Week 17 where he was pretty much perfect.

Prediction: Bears 23, Packers 20 off a Robbie Gould field goal in the final minute.

On to that other playoff game going on that will determine who the winner of this game will play in the Super Bowl, I know haven't done a lot with it this week. For good reason. This is huge.
That said, I'm still leaning toward the Steelers. They have a better defense all around than the Jets and are not banged up or inexperienced like the Patriots and Colts defenses were. This will be a great game, but I'm still taking the Steelers, 21-17.

As most of you who know me know, I'm a huge fan of Twitter. I have been following the chatter all week on both sides of the aisle and figured I'd make it easy for some of you to do that this weekend. Here's a list of a select number of media members with what they have to say. Should be fun to follow this during the game Sunday. Check out the list on my Twitter page.


Now on to the Nussie Hunter portion of the broadcast. With a big game and a big blog, you have to bring out the big guns for the event. That leads us to the one and only Megan Fox, who is in a new ad campaign in for Armani. She looks as good as ever. You can see more pics, here.

The Cutler trade is reason Bears are in NFC title game

It was early April of 2009 and baseball was on my mind when I got a text and a congratulatory phone call from a close friend that the Bears had finally gotten a franchise quarterback. I did not expect it at all, but the move set the landscape for the Bears going forward and it has paid off in just two seasons.
Yes, last year was a bit rocky for the Bears and Cutler and in a story today on ESPNChicago.com, the case is made that the Cutler trade and its after effects that led to a couple things in the offseason that made this Bears team what it is today.
First off, Jerry Angelo gets some credit for not standing pat and rolling into the 2009 season with Kyle Orton as his quarterback. He wanted a guy who could win him some games and not just play not to lose it. That led him in a search for a franchise quarterback. Yes, last year was not Cutler's best. Hell, it was one of his worst. But things like that are what you learn from and amidst a change with Mike Martz coming to town, Cutler has played within himself this year (and he'll need to Sunday, too). He showed last week why they got him by making some of the throws he made. Namely the one to Greg Olsen to open the game.
Now with Cutler coming to town and two first round picks going out of town, the Bears did not have a first-round pick. That opened up some cash and led them down a path to go out and bring in the mother of all free agents in Julius Peppers. The two are tied to one another now and it is the result of the Cutler trade that allowed the Bears to make such a move prior to this season.
Of course, the return of Brian Urlacher from an injury which forced him to miss all but 15 minutes of last season. That brought No. 54 into this season rested and ready - he only hurt his wrist - and made him hungry to get back on the field this season.
Of course, things had to change somewhat during the bye week this season for Cutler to completely bring the offense together, but it did. Is it a matter of him being better, or just playing better this season? To be honest, I think it is him just playing better. There was nothing I saw that made me say he couldn't be the guy the Bears traded for last season. He just had to limit the turnovers.
Of course the argument is there for whether Orton would have the Bears in this spot. My answer is simple. Cutler gives them a much better chance of winning than Orton did and that is why the Bears went and got him when the opportunity was there.


As promised, now is the time to turn things over to you the readers in a mailbag edition of Wilber's Way. I'm impressed with the turnout and am hopeful we can get more like this in the future.

 Jeremy Lubus, Packers fan

"Two of the three players to keep an eye on if your a Bears' fan this Sunday went undrafted, and the other was taken in the seventh round of the NFL Draft. Cornerback Tramon Williams and running back John Kuhn went undrafted in 2006 and 2005 respectively. Williams has been placed in the spotlight recently with his strong play and will be asked to lock down Johnny Knox who was shutout in their last meeting. Kuhn should not scare you on the ground but I expect him to be used more like he was when the Packers lost at New England. Kuhn had three catches for 27 yards and a score, two of the three resulted in first downs not to mention they were not check down passes. He is a north-south runner which will help given the surface at Solider Field.

The last guy that will make the difference is Donald Driver. Driver, a former seventh round pick who many thought was on the decline, has been extremely reliable in the playoffs. Driver has 11 catches for 127 yards in his last two games. More importantly an average of 10 plus yards per catch. Don't forget his costly fumble in their Week 17 meeting which should fire him up even more.

Prediction: I love the Packers but the field will slow down the receivers greatly. Much was made about Rodgers' escapabitly but he will be facing a much more talented front four that can get him down. Robbie Gold is head over heels better than Mason Crosby which will be the difference.

Bears 27 Packers 24"

-Jeremy Lubus is the Sports Editor for the UW-Milwaukee Post Newspaper and Journal Sentinel contributor.

Alex Tomter, Packers fan

"Aaron Rodgers vs. the Tampa Two – Since Jermichael Finley’s injury, Aaron Rodgers has looked confused at times against the cover 2, resorting to unnecessary scrambling, or holding on to the ball too long and taking sacks. Rodgers will have to stay patient and within the offense as he did in week 3 against the Bears as opposed to his efforts in week 17.

Take Advantage of turnover opportunities – When Jay Cutler gives the Packers a chance for an interception, they must take it.

Bears Keys

Front Four Must Create Pressure – Rodgers has proven himself deadly against blitzes, so the Bears front four will have to create pressure to throw Rodgers off his rhythm. Julius Peppers will obviously be the key to this attack.

Ride Matt Forte – Getting Forte 25-30 touches could be the most important key to the game for either side. An effective Forte will open things up for Greg Olsen and allow him to have a second straight huge day.

Final- Packers 23 Bears 1"

Matt Goins, Bears fan

"It's easy to look at this game on paper and think you know exactly what a team needs to do to win a game.
For the Bears, they need to be opportunistic with their blitz calls, and they need the front four - not just Julius Peppers - to get pressure on Aaron Rodgers and try to force him to make mistakes. They can't afford to be constantly sending five and six defenders to the quarterback and not getting there - Rodgers has shown his mobility can give his receivers time to get open for him.
For the Packers - get to Jay Cutler, early and often. In my mind, it's that simple. Cutler has shown me nothing to give me confidence that he is a great quarterback under pressure. He gift-wrapped at least two interceptions to the Seahawks that were dropped. He's going to make mistakes, and the more pressure that Green Bay gets on him, the more likely he is to make those mistakes.
Of course, this could be a 40-37 shootout too.
Prediction: As much of a Bears fan as I am, I'm going 23-14 Packers with the victory"

R.J. Osterhaus, Packers fan (and President of the 223)

"I foresee a relatively low-scoring affair coming Sunday. Late in the 4th quarter the Packers will find themselves up 17-14. One of the Bears TD's will be of the special teams variety, the other a passing play in which a defender loses his footing on the shoddy Soldier Field turf. The Packers will get their scoring on a field goal, a passing TD and a pick six. The Bears will find themselves driving for victory in the games closing moments, when a pass down the right sideline results in...nah, I'm not going to spoil it! But I can't wait to see it! :)"

Prediction: ?!?! (He didn't want to spoil it!)

Mitch Maersch, Bears fan

"Bears need to run a balanced offense. Don't give up on the run too early. Also, Cutler can't just toss up jump balls. This game counts, unlike the last one. Double team Matthews every down.

They must shut down the Packers' running game and make them one-dimensional. Cover Jennings since he broke free the last game.

Hester has to make plays on special teams, either give good field position or score.

Also, take the attenas from the Sears Tower and clunk Rodgers over the head with them, preferably before kickoff.

Packers must kick away from Hester and force Cutler into a key turnover or two, while not committing any. They also must have a balanced offense to slow down the pass rush

Prediction: Bears 27, Packers 24 (wishful thinking)

Vaughan Gartrelle, Giants fan

"Packers offense has a great first quarter taking off to a 14 - 3 lead. Second quarter and the rest of the game controlled by the bears defense taking a 17 -14 lead into the half. Bears come out firing on all cylinders in the second half getting to Rodgers very often.

Prediction: Bears win 35-21"

What do you think? Be sure to comment below!

**Check out tomorrow when I break down the five keys for the Bears to win and Packers fan Josh Golberg will break down the keys for the Packers.**

Alrighty boys and girls, it is now time for the Nussie Hunter portion of today broadcast and if you follow me on Twitter and FB you saw me mention Grace Potter of Grace Potter and the Nocturnals who performed on Jay Leno last night. I was enthralled by her and had to put her on the blog today. She's all legs, and has amazing pipes. Take a look at these pics with this preview.

What to take from Bears/Packers 3 Media Day

It was Wednesday today and in the NFL that means "Conversation Day" when the parties involved gather in front of microphones and take questions from us media types. There was a lot of the usual from both sides as I jumped between listening to both 670 The Score in Chicago and 540 ESPN in Milwaukee from my humble apartment in West Bend.
A couple things. First, Packers media, like their fans is not really worried about this game and it bugs me. I know I'm a Bears fan, but as a writer, I feel I have enough perspective to look at this game and not thing the Bears will run all over because that's what I want to happen. If you've talked to me in the last month, you know I also HATE hearing the words "The Bears suck" as reasons why the Packers will win. Essentially, cutting all the crap, to those that think this game will be decided by more than four points need to get checked out mentally.
I've started to form my thoughts on what needs to happen in this game for the Bears to win and they were touched on slightly in talks today and written about by the sources I usually hit during the week.
One of the big ones is protecting Jay Cutler
. Had a talk with a Packers fan today and he tried telling me that Jay is still an interception machine. Said INT machine did not throw a pick against Seattle last week. In response to that, this what I feel is an intelligent Packers fan said, "But Seattle sucks." OK, that is beside the point. In fact, that totally ignored the point. So against bad teams you shouldn't and can't throw picks? What about the good ones? Yes, Jay made a couple bad decisions, but none ended in an interception. Yes, Jay does have times where he makes wreckless decisions with the football, mainly when he is under pressure, but that doesn't mean he is still an INT machine. Yes, I said still, as last year he was prone to turning it over, especially in the red zone.
As the season has gone on this year, Jay has gotten better at taking care of the football and limiting his mistakes. Hell, in the games the Packers have lost, Aaron Rodgers was pretty wreckless with the ball and threw some picks, as well.
The Bears, though are the team with the quarterback that has been sacked 50 times this season. So that is the key part to this game to me. The Packers' 3-4 scheme is so hard to break down, especially when they go into amoeba mode of sorts and only have two down linemen. The presence of a running game will keep Cutler safe and more specifically a few draw plays will keep Woodson and Clay Matthews at bay on the edge to the Packers pass rush. Those will be the key guys to keep off balance, along with BJ Raji, who has been a beast up the middle. Those are a lot of guys to stop (well really, they need to keep everyone back), but still, it's a job that is vital and almost goes without saying.


On the other side of the ball, the most pleasant surprise has been Tommie Harris. I touched on it yesterday a bit, but Harris had two sacks and was the only Bears player to do so. I know Julius Peppers is the guy most think about when they think Bears defensive line, but Harris needs to go back to the guy he was in 2006 and what got the Bears to the Super Bowl. He needs to have a presence up front and has some guys around him that will keep the Packers off balance in Peppers and Israel Idonoje on the ends. All three have a job on the line. One of the biggest may be to contain Aaron Rodgers in the pocket. I'm talking about rushing with a mindeset and not letting No. 12 get outside too much and run wild. That could come up big in helping the rest of the defense. It's what the defense is built on. I'm seeing the three of them, along with Anthony Adams, having to play their game Sunday. They'll have to start with not letting James Starks be a factor and make the Packers one dimensional.

Alright, I'll have more tomorrow on what to expect in this one. Including some fan picks on what to expect from this game and how fans on both sides of the fence are picking this.

On to the Nussie Hunter portion of the show. It was announced today that Anne Hathaway was cast as Cat Woman in the newest Batman movie by Christopher Nolan. I'm a little apprehensive about it, but Nolan has absolutely taken Batman to a whole new level with his movies, so I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt. What can you expect from Hathaway? Guyism.com has a peak. And there's one below.

Bears-Packers Round 3 should be one for ages

Some won't call it a domination because of the tack on points at the end, but for all intensive purposes, the Bears dominated the Seahawks Sunday at Soldier Field. Jay Cutler was the second QB in playoff history to run and throw for two touchdowns. Greg Olsen had a TD and had a career high for receiving yards. The offense racked up 437 yards of offense, the most by a Bears team in franchise history. Of that, 176 yards were on the ground. It may be the most telling number of any stat, really. For an offensive line that has been suspect all year, they may finally be pulling it together enough to get this team where it wants to go. Both Matt Forte and Chester Taylor showed some flashes Sunday afternoon. I know it was the Seahawks, but they didn't just barely win. They did it in convincing fashion.
The defense was on point like none other until, they went into the prevent defense and then had to recover a couple onside kicks. I'm not worried about them at all. In fact, while Julius Peppers was pretty quiet in the pass rush, Tommie Harris re emerged as a possible threat in the middle of that line. something the Bears had been waiting for all season. If he can return to anywhere near the form he was in four years ago, this team could have something with its front four.
And the special teams. What didn't they do well. Devin Hester had a couple solid returns and when he wasn't returning the ball, he was goating the Seahawks into kicking out of bounds. Most impressive though was the punting by Brad Maynard in the snow and wind on the Lake.
That performance sets up a showdown with the Packers for the NFC Championship. If the two meetings during the season were good, this one should be that much better. Put your 18 penalties excuses to bed. Don't count much on that Week 17 victory when the Bears' hearts were clearly not in it. Get ready for the mother of all show downs. There will be no smack talk from either side during the week. Both sides respect each other and this rivalry too much to degrade it like that. It's all respect and football.

What the teams are playing for is the Halas Trophy, named for the owner and founder of the Bears back in 1910. It has a new look this year.



I have a few things planned for this week and before you think I'm going I"m going to paint this solely in Bears love, just know I've reached out to a few of my friends in the media game and have some great stuff panned for later in the week that should show some great perspective on both sides.
Here's a look at the main pieces the rest of the week:
Wednesday: Media Day will give us another chance to hear what some of the key parties involved have to say about the game.
Thursday: Mail bag. I've reached out to a number of friends on both sides of the aisle who will make their prediction. These are from key media friends I have. So these should be good.
Friday: Wilber's Way Official Preview of the showdown. I already have received the five keys from a Packers fan explaining why his team will win the game. I'll pen the 5 reasons why the Bears win. Both will have score predictions.

Off to the Nussie Hunter feature of the day. I'm pretty sure if you've watched an NFL game during the playoffs, you've seen the commercial for the new Adam Sandler movie "Just Go With It" and had your jaw drop when Brooklyn Decker comes up. Yeah, it's pretty awesome. Here she is, just because you can't get enough!

Fielder crashes the bank for Brewers

Big news today for the Brewers, who signed Prince Fielder to the largest single season contract in team history and the largest arbitration number ever.
I wrote a story on Examiner.com on it. Check it out.
Fielder signs richest 1-year deal in team history

Cutler doesn't have to be 'happy' in leading team

Jay Cutler will play in his first playoff game since he was in high school Sunday afternoon, this blogger's birthday, but the talk going into Sunday's game is not about his play on the field.
The talk is rather, what type of person Cutler is off the field. This is brought on by the "A-Rod" of sportswriters in Rick Reilly of ESPN, who showed up at Halas Hall on Wednesday when the offense had the podium and media day for the Bears.
Reilly ripped into Cutler when the quarterback from Santa Claus, Indiana when he took the mic and asked  him questions like "How many in this room know you?" "Did you idolize a quarterback growing up?"
Both answers where not to Reilly's liking. Jay said, he doesn't hang out with members of the media during the week and offseason and that he did not idolize a QB growing up.
That led to this lede in Reilly's story, "For a man from Santa Claus, Ind., Jay Cutler is one of the least jolly people you've ever met."
His points  on why Cutler is not jolly were noted as he didn't want to hear tips from John Elway when he was with the Broncos and said he does not do well with the media. Basically saying he could own Chicago if he wanted, but doesn't want to so there must be something wrong with the guy that dates reality TV star Kristin Cavallari.
Well, that lead Bears beat writer Bob LeGree to write this piece for the Daily Herald defending Jay. He makes some rather great points. Namely, he has never not given him a good answer when his questions are on point, unlike Reilly's. He has diabetes and spends time at hospitals helping and cheering up those in need.
While Jay is not chipper, I'm not asking him to be, he's not a hostile "hate the world" kind of guy, either. He doesn't like talking to the media, answering the same questions over and over again. To be real, as a writer myself, I can understand how that would be a bit ridiculous at times. He never doesn't answer, though.
Also, because Jay doesn't have an endorsement deal, he must be doing something wrong. Let's be real here and say most people's perspective on Jay came from his departure from Denver when Josh McDaniels arrived in town two years ago. Well, McDaniels just got canned, so that should show you what the thought is on how that move went down.
Yes, Jay may be a bit "different" but he's not breaking laws and he's not calling guys out in the media, so why hate him? He is compared to Eli Manning at times on his facial expressions and demeanor on the field. That is not something he can change. I find it rather funny people form opinions on a guy they have never met and don't follow much.


Alright, let's break down some actually football now that I've taken care of that and gotten it off my chest. There are four great games between teams that have all played each other during the regular season. I'll go in order of how the games will be played.
Ravens at Steelers, Saturday at 3:30 p.m.: This one is going to be close. How close? We are a Troy Polamalu sack-fumble away from this game being in Baltimore. That said, it's in Pittsburgh and that gives the advantage to the Steelers. The ESPN.com Insider Scout page literally has this game a toss up.  Well, yes, it will be close, but when in doubt, go with the home team.
Steelers 17, Ravens 13 in a great game.
Packers at Falcons, Saturday at 7 p.m.: During the regular season this game came down to a facemask call on a decent kick return that set up a Falcons field goal to win the game as time expired. Aaron Rodgers has won just two games decided by four points or less during his three years as quarterback because of plays like that. Oh, and plus he fumbled on the goalline that was recovered by the Falcons. Despite all of that, this might be the coming out party for Rodgers and the Packers. But don't expect James Starks to have another great game. I just don't see that.
Packers 28, Falcons 24 finally silencing Matty Ice for the season.
Seahawks at Bears, Sunday at noon: If you read my blog Monday with the 10 reasons why the Bears will not lose to the Seahawks you know which way I am going with this. This game is in 15 degree temps on the Lakefront. Any question of the Bears being over confident just has to remember how bad the Bears were whacked by the Seahawks in that 23-20 loss during the regular season. With that, this team will right a wrong and move on to the NFC championship game.
Bears 31, Seahawks 17 with it not being THAT close!
Jets at Patriots, Sunday at 3:30 p.m.: Will the score of this game be 45-3? No. But the Patriots will still beat down the Jets. I know I want the Jets out of the way in the worst way, which may be clouding me a bit, but the Patriots are that good and have something to prove too. And really, I think Bill Bellechick shares my disdain for Rex Ryan and wants to shut him up, too. Pile it on Pats!
Patriots 30, Jets 14 with a big second half of adjustments to break it open.

It's time for the Nussie Hunter portion of today's broadcast. With it being my birthday, I have to honor of my favorites, who happens to be in the latest edition of Maxim with a new sitcom debuting Wednesday night on NBC. Yep, it's the return of Olivia Munn to Wilber's Way. Be sure to check out Coed Magazine for a gallery, here. Then get ready for "Perfect Couples" to debut Jan. 20. Woohoo!

Trevor says goodbye and On Deck is announced

The Brewers announced the attendees of the On Deck event, set for Jan. 30 at the Frontier Airlines Center in downtown Milwaukee.
I have a story on Examiner.com, that is currently featured on the front page of the Milwaukee site.
Be sure to check out who will be and who won't be there. I already have tickets and am kind of upset Prince will not be on hand, but Zack Greinke and Shaun Marcum will be in the house.
Check the link, here to see the story.


I was a bit saddend to see it finally happen this week that Trevor Hoffman announced he is retiring from baseball. He was well appreciated in Milwaukee the last two years where he earned 47 of his 601 saves, including No. 600.
Be sure to check out my story here on saying farewell to a legend.

Brewers farm system depleted by offseason moves

Hey all. I do some work for Examiner.com and would like you to check it out. I wrote a story today on the Baseball America Prospect list and how the Brewers system is depleted.
Yes, it is depleted, but to me, that's for the better. Things are promising for 2011 with Zack Greinke and Shaun Marcum in the fold.
Follow the link to the story and be sure to comment and let me know what you think!
I plan on linking the stories from here on out. So you won't have to check both places.

Why this meeting with Seahawks will be different for Bears

It became official last night around 7 o'clock the Chicago Bears would get a shot at righting a wrong by taking on the Seattle Seahawks Sunday - this writer's birthday - at noon at Soldier Field where the early forecast has temperatures set to be around 15 degrees on the Lakefront.
The loss the Seahawks dealt the Bears back on Oct. 17 was one that stung for Bears players in hearing their talk in the locker room today at Halas Hall in Lake Forest. The vow things will change and I'm right there with them. Here are 10 reasons why this one will be very different, counting down to the most important). I have to give some credit to former Bears star Jerry Azumah for giving me the idea for this piece.
10. The Seahawks were coming off a bye and had two weeks to gameplan for the Bears. Their gameplan was on point using a hurry up offense and muddle offense to keep the Bears defense off balance. They could go that route a again, but the Bears will be ready for it this time.
9. The Bears are 10-point favorites. I know New Orleans was also 10.5 point favorites, but they were on the road. This is the NFL, people, and the teams are so close. The home team automatically gets 3 points in Vegas because of it. The Bears are the home team this week and you can expect them to have an advantage when they take the field.
8. Johnny Knox had five catches for 120 yards in the first meeting and will get Earl Bennett back from injury this week. Expect the two of them to play a role in this one in the intermediate passing game.
7. The Bears turned their touchdowns per game average around after the first meeting. The Bears entered the first meeting with 1.8 touchdowns per game, but have averaged 3 TDs per game since.
6. Devin Hester had kickoff returns of 93 yards and another for a touchdown in the first meeting. Expect he and Leon Washington to do battle Sunday in the kicking game. Hester has shown he can go the distance against this coverage unit.
--- They get MUCH bigger as we enter the Top 5. These will be vital in the game Sunday. --
5. Lance Briggs did not play Oct. 17. Yes Brian Urlacher and Julius Peppers are the co-MVPs of this defense, but take one of the Pro Bowl players out of the puzzle and things change. Briggs will be on the field Sunday and promises to be a difference maker.
4. The Bears had no turnovers in the 23-20 loss at Soldier Field that day. For a team that had just three games where they did not commit a turnover, I'm not even talking about being on the plus-side of the turnover margin, just forcing a turnover, and went 1-2 in those games. The other loss was to the Patriots. The only win was the narrow win at Ford Field over the Lions.
3. The Bears are the only team to rush the ball more than they threw it since Week 9 (their first game since the Bye). This is a different team since the bye week with Mike Martz moving towards the run and calling 238 runs to 231 passes. That was not the case in the first meeting when the Bears ran the Ball for just 91 yards on just 14 carries (the fewest this season). Chester Taylor ran the ball four times for 31 yards and Matt Forte had eight for 11 yards. Again, that has not been the formula for the Bears success during the second half of the season. It works two ways, really, in keeping Jay Cutler grounded.
2. Speaking of Cutler, he completed just 17 of 39 passes for 242 yards without a TD or an INT in the first meeting with a passer rating of 69.4. He was also sacked five times. If the running game can get going like it has for much of the second half of the season, Cutler relaxes (this will be his first playoff game) and is more composed in the pocket. It also allows the offensive line to impose their will on the Seahawks.
1. The biggest key to success for the Bears Sunday is converting on third down. The Bears were an awful 0 for 12 back in October during a stretch where they converted just 17.9 percent of third downs. Since the bye, however, the Bears have converted on 44.1 percent of their third downs, good enough for ninth in the NFL over that span.
Things will be vastly different than in the first meeting. I also feel the Seahawks caught lighting in a bottle last week and will run into a team that will not overlook them as they look to erase October's defeat.



James Starks and the Packers made the game with the Seahawks possible with their strong showing at Philly Sunday night. I went 2 for 4 with my Wild Card Weekend picks, getting both games Sunday right.
I like the matchup with the Packers and the Falcons, as it should be a tight one in the Georgia Dome Saturday night.
In the AFC, the Ravens get the Steelers and the Jets (Boo!) get the Patriots for the third time this season. Both should be great games between teams that know each other very well. I'll have a full breakdown later in the week, but it promises to be another great week of football.


Now it's time for the Nussie Hunter portion of today's episode and I'm not sure how many of you checked out the new show on NBC called "The Cape" but it was great. A stellar action super hero show. One of the great parts of the show is female star Summer Glau. She doesn't wear a cape, but is the tech and brains behind a lot of what goes on in the show. Plus, she can probably kick my ass. So, I have to put her here! Enjoy and watch the show on Hulu before next Monday's episode.

What a difference a year makes for Lovie Smith

A year ago this week Chicago Bears President Ted Phillips, General Manager Jerry Angelo and coach Lovie Smith pleaded with fans to accept their explanation for what had gone wrong as the Bears missed the playoffs for the third straight year. Lovie stayed on as coach, but had to give up his defensive coordinator post, handing it over to Rod Marinelli, and Mike Martz was brought on to run the offense. In fact, I was even one of those questioning whether it was right to let Lovie go. And I had been one of the biggest Lovie backers, so that is saying something.
The results this season could not have shown any better the Bears brain trust made the right decision in keeping Lovie on board as coach as the Bears went 11-5 when the "experts" did not see them doing much of anything. Lovie has always had one thing with this Bears team and that is loyalty. There have been zero players speak out against him or show any signs of the players not buying into what he has to dole out. The biggest sell to that end might be from the biggest name on the team, Brian Urlacher. It has become quite known that Urlacher absolutely hates this defense, but he is loyal and it has been shown to be successful so Urlacher buys in and performs at a high level.
Now with Urlacher back in the fold and a division title in hand, Angelo has gone as far as to call this team, the "best football team that we've had" referring to the teams he and Smith have built together, including the one that went to the Super Bowl after the 2006 season.
And amidst Jim Harbaugh getting offered Oprah money to coach in the NFL without ever coaching a game at this level, Lovie, who has one year left on his current contract, stands to cash in. The idea David Haugh at the Chicago Tribune gets by reading between the lines from Angelo is that Smith will cashing in depends on the Bears winning at least one game in these playoffs.
I'm down with that. He's shown the ability to work with what he has and coach them up to get a performance greater than the sum of the parts. And again, even when times got tough over the three seasons, everyone stood behind Lovie and that has to speak for what the locker room thought of him. I'd say he deserves everything he gets.


Speaking of playoffs, the Bears have been given a three-day weekend with the first-round bye meaning Wild Card Weekend has arrived. I told you the other day I would be back to break down the games and make some picks. So here we go.
Let's go in order. We'll start with Saturday's games.
Saints (11-5) @ Seahawks (7-9): A home team is an 11-point dog at home in the playoffs? That's what happens when you're the first team in NFL history to make the playoffs with a losing record. Count the 'Hawks out? Not so fast. Now, they'll get Matt Hasselback back under center which should help, but they'll need EVERY break to go their way on defense in forcing a couple of turnovers to be in this one.
That's why I'm taking Saints.
Jets (11-5) at Colts (10-6): Will someone please shut Rex Ryan up? Yes, you, wearing the No. 18 blue jersey. Peyton Manning! Please, end this loser's face time and send the Jets packing. Maybe I'm not being totally fair here, but I hate how Ryan gets in front of a mic and takes all the attention off the players and onto him. I know that's his ploy, but all those ESPN losers don't even talk about the game. Know this, Manning is 6-1 in games he starts against a Ryan team. The one he lost, last year when he was pulled in the final game of the season.
So give me the Colts and ALL the points. It is personal. Shut this clown up Peyton!
Ravens (12-4) at Chiefs (10-6): We're on to Sunday's games and prior to Matt Cassel getting his face pounded in by the Raiders in Week 17, I'd have picked the Chiefs without hesitation, has they had yet to lose a game at Arrowhead this season. Had they not tried, that would be one thing, but Cassel kept getting sent out there and he threw a pair of INTs. Well, bring the Ravens ball-hawking defense to town and things get a little dicier. The Chiefs are good, don't get me wrong, and they are going to need a lot of Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones (TJ!) to take the pressure off Cassel and I don't think they'll do it.
This will be a close one, but I'm taking the Ravens to go into KC and get the win.
Packers (10-6) at Eagles (10-6): The Packers are 3-5 on the road and the Eagles are 4-4 at home. I don't put much weight in the Week 1 game between the teams as Michael Vick didn't start and it was so long ago that many of the faces on both sides of the ball have changed. So you have to look at what the teams have done lately and how they're trending. Aaron Rodgers played OK in the Bears game, not great, but Vick is a game changer. The difference in the game is not letting him get time to throw. The talk has been not letting him run, well, he hasn't been running that much of late, relying more on his arm and the accuracy he's gained this season. The Packers must get pressure on him in the pocket. I'm talking quick pressure to not let him get the ball to DeShaun Jackson if they want to have a shot in this one.
I'm saying they do and the Eagles defense won't be able to stop the one-sided Packers attack.

As a side note, the NFL's new Playoff Overtime Rule goes into effect this week. Here's a great piece on ESPN.com on the matter that should break it down for you.

Alrighty, on to the Nussie Hunter portion of today's broadcast. The Playmate of the Year competition is heating up quickly and we here at Wilber's Way have a candidate we fully support. Her name is Francesca Frigo. A latin bombshell you can follow on  Twitter, or see more of on Model Mayhem (she linked it) with a sample below!

Forte, not Cutler Bears most valuable weapon

Note: Before I get started today, I just wanted to say thanks and Happy New Year to all the loyal "Followers" of The Way. I have made it a resolution to make this more of a priority to write in the New Year. To think I made 100 posts during the first sixth months, but just 55 over the last year and it showed I have slipped. Well, it's time to get back at it. So here goes edition No. 1. Hope you enjoy it!


I know all of my Packers fans friends are gloating today because their team knocked off the Bears Sunday at Lambeau Field. For a game that meant nothing, I thought the Bears played well enough to have a chance to win at the end, which they did. What do I take from it? Well, that was a bit hard to come to, but after a little thought I finally did. If a team can take away the special teams edge the Bears usually get with Devin Hester either returning the ball or forcing bad punts and big turnovers, the offense has a hard time going 80 yards consistently. But whose offense doesn't? I'm not worried about that.
Yes, most of the offensive attention goes to Jay Cutler, but with the production of the pictured above, Matt Forte, the Bears have a guy that for the first time since some player named Walter Payton to run for 1,000 yards and have 500 receiving yards. And to think he did most of that with just about half a season to work after Mike Martz didn't utilize him fully at the start of the season. He said so himself after Sunday night's game to the Chicago Tribune, "If we had run it a little earlier we may have 1,500 or 1,600 yards." He's not looking back and I'm pretty sure the offense not going to Forte more in Sunday's game was a way to not give too much away going into playoffs. He and Chester Taylor are the keys to the offense and are the balance needed from keeping Jay Cutler from going catatonic and throwing balls to the guys in the wrong colored jerseys.
Those back-to-back 20+ yard runs were great and we should have seen more from him. We can't let this go to waste.
And talk all you will about the defense giving up yards, the fact is, they don't give up points. So don't worry!


The playoffs and the road to Super Bowl 45 is set. Can you see any one team in the NFC having a bigger advantage over another team? I don't. I can see the Bears winning two games and going to Dallas and at the same time, I can see them laying an egg on my birthday and ending the season. That's how close I think this NFC field is. That's including the Seahawks who are 11-point home dogs to the defending champion Saints.
The Packers go on the road to Philly and I am leaning towards giving the Packers the edge. Both teams are completely different than what they were in Week 1 of the season with the edge when it comes to shutting down Mike Vick and that offense. If they can keep DeShaun Jackson from going nuts on them on both offense and on kick returns like they did Devin Hester Sunday, they have a shot. But the one thing the Eagles have to do is keep Aaron Rodgers from getting into any kind of rhythm and the complete lack of a running game will make this a nightmare for the Packers.
In the other NFC game, the Saints are the big favorite, but I wouldn't count them out. I like their secondary against Drew Brees to at least give the Seahawks a chance to do some damage and keep it close. If they do that, all it takes is one big play when it matters and things go their way. That said, I think the Saints can find a way to win this game because of the speed they have in Reggie Bush underneath. It's one thing to confuse a rookie in Sam Bradford, but to keep Drew Brees guessing, that takes something special.
Does the AFC picture even matter? A little, sure, but does anyone stand a shot against the Patriots? I'll have my full Wildcard Weekend preview later this week.

OK folks, time to get on to the Nussie Hunter portion of today's broadcast. There is news today one of our favorites here at Wilber's Way, Mila Kunis, is now single. And she was dating Macaulay Culkin of all people? Well, they have parted ways and has put him as the No. 1 trending topic on Twitter all day since news broke. We need to change that and get the attention back on her. So here you go with a great shot below and this link to more great photos of the best thing to come out of That '70s Show.