Player Trades In-Season Are Rare But…

The Oakland Raiders are dreadful while Charles Woodson is playing every snap at an apparently high level. From an ESPN mailbag:

Woodson, who turns 38 next month, has been one of the Raiders’ best and most reliable defensive players. He has played every defensive snap. That is remarkable for a player of his age. When the Raiders brought him back in 2013, they were just hoping for some leadership and situational help on the field. But Woodson is giving him so much more. He is ending a Hall of Fame career on a high note. It’s really cool to witness.

Does he really want to wrap his career on a 2-14 Raiders team? If you’re Phil Emery, and you know what you’re fielding at safety, why not make an offer? Woodson would not only be the Bears best safety by a wide margin but also has a brilliant knowledge of the divisional opponents and leadership the secondary is now lacking with Peanut’s absence.

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Mannelly is a legendary Bear and “the namesake” of our Audibles from the Long Snapper column. Here he is explaining that decision.

Brad Biggs did an excellent job breaking the story on his Twitter feed. Here is a selection of Tweets from the Trib’s leading Bears writer:

Used to joke with Pat Mannelly the last 3 seasons or so on Fridays in the locker room, ask if he was looking forward to setting a record

He was the all-time leader in #Bears history for games played. He’d chuckle a little but he just wanted to do his job that Sunday.

K Robbie Gould: Pat Mannelly “is probably the greatest long snapper to ever play the game.”

I don’t know if Mannelly is the greatest long snapper to ever play. I don’t even know how to begin that analysis. But I know he has given sixteen years of his body to the Chicago Bears organization and that is worthy of celebration.

Thanks to Bears beat writer Adam Jahns our event received some promotion from Emily McFarlan Miller in the Sun-Times:

Did No Shave November work out really well for you?

Have you been looking for an opportunity to bust out your favorite sweater vest and stogie?

Then have we got an event for you: The Mike Ditka Look-a-like Competition at 8 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8, at Double Door, 1572 N. Milwaukee Ave.

The event, presented by DaBearsBlog and Art of Men, will benefit the Otis Wilson Charitable Association. It also includes a Christmas toy drive and a performance by the Black Oil Brothers.

Anyone can enter the Mike Ditka Look-a-like Competition, and each entrant will get a moment to walk the stage for celebrity judges, including 1985 Super Bowl champion Otis Wilson and Bears legend James “Big Cat” Williams, according to the event page on Ticketfly. The winner will receive two tickets to the Chicago Bears v. Dallas Cowboys game on Monday, Dec. 9, where the Bears will retire Ditka’s No. 89 jersey at halftime, it said.

Anyone who brings a toy to donate to the Christmas toy drive at the event also will be eligible to win an signed Otis Wilson jersey, it said.

The Otis Wilson Charitable Association provides an all-inclusive health and fitness program for at-risk youth to educate and empower them to lead healthy lifestyles, according to its website.

DABEARSBLOG STILL HAS ROOM ON OUR COMPLIMENTARY RSVP LIST. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS EMAIL ME: JEFF@DABEARSBLOG.COM

After the jump you can once again experience the event’s amazing poster art…

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