The current shirt from 26Shirts is my concept and design and you can see it over on the right rail (or down below on mobile). Proceeds going to great cause. You can read all about that, and place your order, by CLICKING HERE. It ain’t just tee shirts, either. The hoodies, light and sweatshirt-style, are both very cool.

Why Do I Like the Chicago Bears This Week?

I always like the Chicago Bears, despite this Allen Robinson situation.

Would I like to see Robinson in Chicago long-term? Of course. Would I be rushing to give him $20 million a year without knowing who my quarterback is in 2021? Nope. No I would not.

Nevertheless, Robinson’s case is only supported by positive play and that’s what I would expect moving forward.

Breaking Down the New York Giants

Offense

• Everything with this offense feeds off the running game and Saquon Barkley. If the Giants are getting four or five yards a carry with their star running back it opens up their entire playbook and makes them a very difficult group to defend.
• If the run game isn’t working for the Giants, they’ll try to compensate for deficiencies at the offensive tackle spots with quick, mid-range slants to Sterling Shepard or by mismatching their tight ends on opposing linebackers and safeties. This is a difficult way to move the ball because it requires 10-12 plays, mistake free, for points.
• Darius Slayton is the deep threat and the Giants will take their shots if Daniel Jones is given consistent time in the pocket. Eddie Jackson can’t let Slayton get over the top.
• Pressure, of course, is always key, but specifically against Jones. When Jones is drop-and-toss he’s strong-armed and accurate. When he sits deep for an extra second or two (and often pump fakes) he gives defensive backs opportunities to make plays on the ball. He’s also one of the game’s more prolific fumblers.
• If you blitz Jones, you better have eyes on Barkley. He’s a home run waiting to happen on every screen. And Barkley is one of the worst blocking backs in the sport so his only viability in the passing game is in space.

Defense

• This is not a particularly talented group but they compensate with (a) hustle and (b) disguise. If their opener is any indication, they’ll keep Trubisky guessing right up until the snap.
• Two players to account for on this defense: Lorenzo Carter and Blake Martinez. They are the engine.
• The Bears will once again be seeing an underwhelming collection of corners. James Bradberry can play but Corey Ballentine and Darnay Holmes are liabilities with the ball in the air. Trubisky can’t be afraid to give his receivers opportunities to make plays. If he’s waiting for Robinson and Miller and Mooney to get open in space, he’s waiting too long.

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These are difficult times for a lot of people.

But you can do things.

Here are three.

(1) Support the brilliant work of Del Reid and the folks at 26Shirts.

Every two weeks, the shirt changes. And a large percentage of the sales go to a worthy cause. This shirt’s cause:

Lucky McMahon is a wonderful 5 year old boy who was born premature at 33 weeks. So far in his life Lucky has required over 15 surgeries, and struggles with a complex medical history as a result. Lucky suffers from Hydrocephalus and Chiari Malformation, but what he really needs help with are his teeth. Lucky requires multiple teeth removed, crowns places, and cavities filled. Without the procedures Lucky’s current infection could worsen and prove fatal. Due to Lucky’s unique diagnoses, he requires anesthesia during his multiple procedures, and a dentist who is able to work with Lucky’s needs. Lucky’s mom Paula is fighting hard for her little boy, and has found a dentist to do his procedures, but she needs financial help to cover the cost. She thanks anyone who purchases a shirt to help her and her little boy!

(2) Give a few dollars to the Windy Kitty Cafe (or whatever animal shelter you support).

If you love cats, and I do, Windy Kitty Cafe is one of the most glorious places on earth. They recently established a kitten nursery and I got to watch about 8 kittens climb on my lady friend Sarah for a half hour. (See directly below.)

They are operating on a shoestring budget right now because they can’t get visitors in the door to help supplement their costs. But you can help. By CLICKING HERE. By giving them a few bucks.

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Click on the image above to purchase the shirt.

A Note from 26Shirts.com

First off, thanks to Jeff at DaBearsBlog.com for providing me with a little bandwidth to help explain what the heck that little block ad on the right-hand side of this website is all about…

Back in November 2013, I had an idea. I wanted to sell 26 t-shirts.

No, not one t-shirt to 26 individual customers. 26 unique sports designs over the course of a year. I’d sell a shirt for two weeks at a time, then once that two week period was over, the design would be retired. (That’s where the name comes from, 52 divided by 2.) This is limited edition-ness is part of the concept behind 26shirts.com.

“Ok,” you’re probably thinking, “another limited edition t-shirt website out here on the web. Big deal.”

Wait! Don’t walk (or click, or scroll) away! There’s more!

This isn’t your typical t-shirt website. What makes 26shirts.com different is that we are, as far as I’ve been able to research, the only sports merchandise company based on the “give back” model. For each shirt we sell, we donate $8 to a local family or foundation that can use the money.

We’re not a t-shirt website that helps people, we’re a website that helps people by selling t-shirts.

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We’ll take this opportunity to promote our sponsors in the space of an actual post.

• FrontRowTickets.com has been generous and they really are an excellent resource for ticket selling and buying. Click on the image above or visit their site HERE to get yourself into Soldier Field for what I believe is going to be a successful second half of the campaign.
• Art of Men is now more than 1,000 members strong and beginning to make major impact in communities across the country. In July the organization fed 3,500 New Yorkers  as part of their Everybody Eats campaign (read about the event HERE) and they’ll be rolling out the program nationally – including Chicago – this spring. Take a minute and go to ArtofMen.org on your cell phone and drop your email address in to find out what the organization will be doing near you.
• 26Shirts.com has an excellent Joe Maddon shirt available for the next week. Remember, half the purchase goes to charity and you can read which charity on their website.

I made the editorial / business decision a year ago to be sponsored by not-profit companies. I’ve never done this site for cash and I’m not going to start now. But if a few solid organizations could make this site profitable whilst allowing me to do something good, I’m all for it.

Art of Men – ArtofMen.org

Several years ago I began working with an organization called Art of Men. I so loved the founder, Art Gurwitz, and the mission of the organization that I have taken on a leadership role with them. I would spend time here summarizing what the organization does but AoM’s mission statement takes care of that.

THE WORLD IS FALLING APART.
NOTHING WORKS.
Everybody’s complaining, but no one is doing anything about it.

SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE.
We’re doing it.

WHAT IS ART OF MEN?
We’re guys across the world taking matters into our own hands.

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