On the Monday edition of I'm Not Gon Hold You, Scott, J.R. Bang & Mariano kick off the show joined by friend of the program & Gridiron Gals' own Reeta The NFL Chick to get her thoughts on the NFL's schedule & how the Ravens can bounce back, then Pavy joins in Weekend In The Association to recap this weekend's NBA action & preview both Conference Finals series, Cousin Dan joins for the final Cousin Dan segment of the season & then Courtney joins for the latest in MLB talk on The Hot Corner.
On the Monday edition of the show Scott & crew recap what looks like the end of the Drake & Kendrick Lamar battle, last night's Roast of Tom Brady, a recap of this weekend's playoff action and a second round NBA Playoffs preview.
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It’s April 27th,, and I’m currently at work proctoring an ACT exam for the students that I regularly teach. Their heads are glued into the exams with a nervousness that shows as their eyes dart from answer to answer. Yet, despite this nervousness, in the back of all their minds is an important thought: how will this affect my future?
It's a defining Saturday—a day of reckoning not only for my students, absorbed in the decisive moments that will shape their future, but also for the Chicago Bears, who last week stood at a moment in time where the entire franchise could change.
In the focused silence of this exam room, I see an echo of the Bears' past season—weeks marked by hopes of evolution and dominance yet mired in the marsh of outdated tactics and underperformance. Just as my students grapple with questions that will mild their academic futures, the Bears' recent choices in the 2024 NFL Draft have been a test of strategy and foresight, leaving fans yearning for a revolution in the team's circumstances.
How did we reach this point in time? Let's revisit the day of December 31st, 2023. On The Carolina Panthers lost 26-0 to the Jacksonville Jaguars, plummeting to a god awful 2-14 record, which secured them the No. 1 pick. Due to a trade that delivered the Panthers the young quarterback, Bryce Young, the #1 pick in the 2024 draft belonged to Chicago and the Bears found themselves with the chance to make a potentially franchise altering decision.
The choice was between “a rock and a hard place”: you stick with starter Justin Fields, whose playmaking and passing abilities were starting to develop into the player that fans had been dreaming of or you reset the “quarterback clock” by potentially acquiring Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams out of the University of Southern California.
Such decisions, fraught with the need for change, divided the fanbase, media, and outsiders alike. Some, including myself, believed that Fields was on the cusp of being “a guy”. The desire that fans had envisioned upon him when he was drafted to the Bears. Yet, others contended that too much time had elapsed, and a fresh face was needed to lead the team.
Now, let’s fast forward to March 16th, 2024. On this day, Chicago Bears have embraced a new chapter. Justin Fields, who was once considered the cornerstone of this franchise, has been traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers, a movie that signaled that the Bears were ready for a new start. It’s a shift that feels familiar, akin to the nervous anticipation my students face with their ACTs—where they face a mixture of apprehension and the weight of potentially promising future.
The Bears history since the lauded 1985 Super Bowl winning season has been a tumultuous one, often falling short of fans (sometimes unreasonably) high expectations. To cope with this knowledge, some fans have elected to remain paranoid of the possibility of future disaster as the errors of the Bears past envelop their minds.
On the opposite end of the coping spectrum, there's a faction of the fanbase that see a franchise reborn, unburdened by the echoes of past failures and disappointments. I find myself in the middle, not oblivious to the errors of the past but filled with a reasonable hope of a bright future.
This hope has come not in the belief that every player will be a star but in the decisions made by Chicago Bears General Manager Ryan Poles. His tenure, while not perfect, has been marked by patient and strategic decisions—from bolstering the defense with talents like Kyler Gordon and Jaquan Brisker to savvy acquisitions in DJ Moore, Montez Sweat, and Keenan Allen.
This bolstering culminated on April 25th, 2024 with the drafting #1 pick Caleb Williams and the selection of the 9th pick in Rome Odunze out of the University of Washington. Calculated moves such as these paint a portrait of an organization not just dreaming of greatness, but laying its groundwork. This moment in time leads me to following question for fans of the navy & orange: When do we let go of the fear of past failures and embrace the potential of a new era?
The Bears, reflective of my students' earnest approach to taking the ACT, have approached the future with determination and thorough preparation. The only action left for both of them is to await the results with a hopeful anticipation.
On the Friday edition of I'm Not Gon Hold You, Scott kicks off the show with plea to Drake to respond to the flood of disses coming his way, then the crew go over OJ Simpson's complicated legacy coming off his death, was this the worst regular season in NBA history?, what Giannis injury means for the rest of the Eastern Conference, the latest updates in the Ohtani scandal, is this the last run for the NBA's old & current guard? plus Cousin Dan joins the show.
After a 2 week hiatus Scott & the gang are back to recap the events of the big sports weekend & more!
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This week Jarrett and Brian are back to recap Atlanta’s latest FA signings & give their options on what the Falcons should do with the number 8 pick.
Scott & Flows breakdown Ryan Poles trading Justin Fields to the the Pittsburgh Steelers, how Poles has done this offseason so far & much more.
This week on the pod Brian & Jarrett give their thoughts on the Falcons signing their new franchise quarterback Kirk Cousins.
Jarrett and Brian are back to discuss Combine Week and the Falcons search for a Franchise QB.
Brian & Jarrett are back to break down the opening press conference for Falcons new head coach Raheem Morris and more.
Scott & Flows are back to go over the talk going on at the Senior Bowl & why its starting to feel like Caleb Williams will be a Bear more & more with each passing day, Flus solidifying his coaching staff, what the Bears should do at pick #9 and much more.
We are finally back streaming live! This week, Some Dude taps into Yassin Bey aka Mos Def's apology and convo around Drake's Hip-Hop Cred the battle between some of the biggest women in Hip-Hop, and how the NBA's new rules around load management and post-season awards might bite them in the ass.
Maywood is on the move and so is Doc Rivers. The Maywood Native is headed to his college home of Milwaukee to become the new head coach of the Bucks. Mike and Bang react to the firing of their former HC Adrian Griffin and how this move is "So Maywood." Some Dude also talks about the weird spot the NBA could be in with their new post-season award rules, NFL predictions and Mike finds closure in the Dallas Cowboys.
Jarrett and Brian are back to discuss how Arthur Blank may turn to a familiar face in his quest for a Super Bowl.
Scott & Flows recap the year end press conference from Ryan Poles, Matt Eberflus & Kevin Warren, what it means for Justin ,the draft, free agency & much more.
Dante of I'm Not Gon Hold You joins Jarrett & Brian to discuss the Falcons loss this past Sunday to the Chicago Bears & the QB situation in both cities.
In the 2023 finale of the pod Scott & Flows recap Justin Fields & DJ Moore's big day leading to the Bears 7th win of the season, Matt Ebeflus retaining his job, the Bears officially securing the #1 pick in the NFL Draft from the Panthers and what exactly is on the line for Justin next week in the season finale at Lambeau .
Mike is back from Miami. While his Dallas Cowboys took the L, how did he enjoy his birthday weekend in Miami? USC QB Caleb Williams liked a Tweet that had Chicago Bears fans talking. Could the Heisman-winning star go back to College for his senior season and avoid the monsters of the midway? Also, Dr. Umar vs. Eminem, Deontay Wilder takes another L and more.
Jarrett and Brian are back to break down the Falcons humiliating loss to the Panthers, Desmond Ridders return to the bench and this week's matchup with the Indianapolis Colts.
The Bears got their fan base high & optimistic just to let them down.........again, Scott & Flows recap another crushing Bears loss.