Kap & J. Hood

7/31 7 AM: Connor McKnight

Hour 1: The Bears continue to make big moves by extending DJ Moore to a 4-year $110 million contract. What's your confidence level in Ryan Poles that he'll make the Bears a playoff team? Do you think the Bears should extend Head Coach Matt Eberflus? ESPN White Sox Pre & Post game host Connor McKnight joined Kap & J. Hood with the latest updates on the White Sox.

Duration:: 46m
Broadcast on:: 31 Jul 2024
Audio Format:: mp3

(crunching) - Chicago. - This is your morning routine. - Listen to respect my name. - Cap and G hood. - That's right, that's right, we bad. - Watch the show on Twitch. Follow ESPN 1000 Chicago. - Stream the show on the ESPN Chicago app. And on in there. - 100.3 HD2. And on ESPN 1000 Chicago. Now, no, no, no. - David Kaplan and Jonathan Hood. - Good morning, everyone. - Bring 'em out, bring 'em out. - Woo! - Bring 'em out, bring 'em out. - Bring 'em out, bring 'em out. - Bring 'em out, bring 'em out. - Bring 'em out, bring 'em out. - Bring 'em out, bring 'em out. - Woo! - Woo! - Oh! - God, welcome in to the Cap and G hood morning show. On ESPN 1000. And we're streaming on the ESPN Chicago app. With David Kaplan and Jonathan Hood with you, we've got Jay, we got Jay Moore, we got you. For a three hour ride on this Waddle Wednesday with open phone lines for you. Three, one, two, three, two, three, seven, seven, six is our telephone number. And Cap, sometimes in the world of sports we use a phrase. And the phrase, the definition of the phrase is vetting issues that affect the business thoughtfully and carefully. That is due diligence. That's the definition of due diligence. And what Ryan Polls has done here as a general manager of the Chicago Bears is to be able to do exactly what I just said, vetting issues that affect the business thoughtfully and carefully. We take a look at DJ Moore, a guy that is a cornerstone for this organization at the wide receiver position. Here we are, even before the first preseason game. And what happens, a $110 million extension, the largest in team history, and the 82.6 million and guarantees is a third among NFL receivers. That is due diligence. Making sure you have no stone unturned. Making sure that we're gonna remove all the controversy, whatever we need to do, we're gonna take care of it. That's what you like about a training cap. It should be about football and getting better. Not about controversy, not about money, not about how I'm not getting paid. DJ Moore's taking care before we even get to the season cap. That is due diligence. Locked up for six years. He sells two left on the current deal. And Ryan Paul said, let's get this done now. Let's take care of our guys. He is making all of these moves and on the surface, it looks like he's making a bunch of correct moves. All the due diligence they did on Caleb Williams. I can tell you from people I've talked to in that building, Caleb Williams is loved in that room. Loved, they said he has absolutely taken over. And they said he is somebody that everybody wants to follow. He has shown great leadership. He also is a guy who is keeping his mouth quiet when he's trying to learn. They said he'll lead when he needs to lead, but he also understands I'm a rookie, I'm trying to learn here as well. But what Paul's did yesterday, what are we always here? The Bears have an internal rule. They don't do extensions until you're in one year left in your deal. Guess what? DJ's done everything right since he got here. He's an awesome dude in the room. He's a hell of a football player. Ryan Paul said, no, no, no. That's not a hard and fast rule. We go case by case, he earned it, let's go. Now, I know that Shefty is reporting that it's the largest extension in team history. Total value was Khalil Mack. He got 141 million back in 2018. But average annual value, DJ 27.5, largest guarantee. One of the biggest guarantees we've seen a receiver get, and I think he was smart. If he had a monster, you could have gotten more? Yeah. But guess what? What if he got hurt? Take the guarantee, you'll love playing here and now for basically the rest of his career, he's a bear. Funny you say the number 27? 27, you said, right? 27.5 is what Shefty texted me. I will give you a list, a short list cap, of the most receiving yards before turning 27 in NFL history. Number one is Randy Moss on that list. Number two is DeAndre Hopkins. Number three is Mike Evans. Number four is Larry Fitzgerald. Number five is DJ Moore. OK, so the first four, same one more time. Moss? Yep. Hopkins. Yep. Evans. Yep. Fitzgerald. All going to the Hall of Fame. Either in or will be there. Every one of those guys. Well, and if Caleb Williams is who I believe he is, you believe he is, the Bears believe he is, if he's that dude, DJ Moore will be in the Hall of Fame too. 100%. I think it's interesting and I think that we have to be the first show to bring this up and maybe to permeate throughout the day. Of when you have a general manager that is trying to do the right things for the organization, it takes people a back cap. They're a gasket. Like, wait, wait a minute now. You're paying that. That's an overpay. You can't do that. You can't. Do you understand where the Bears were and where the Bears are now? Yep. Good organizations do what the Bears did yesterday by locking up DJ Moore. We would see that through the transactions. Oh, look what this team did. Look what that team did. And then with the Bears, it'd be controversy. All the Bears are too cheap. The Bears are not going to pay. The Bears will win until the 11th hour. All this stuff, trying to get a bargain. You remember training camp when Curtis Enis was here? He got drafted. He hired some guy who'd never been an agent. He married a stripper. And he didn't get signed. You remember all this? I do call. And like three years later, he was working at UPS. Sad story. Horrible. But that's true. That's where he ended up horrible. And now you watch Dallas with CD Lamb and it wasn't there when camp started. Is that going to get his deal? Because Mike Parsons is going to get his deal. Matthew Judon in New England. Jamar Chase. You know, we can keep going on. There's a bunch of them. Trey Hendrickson. R. Cam? No. God forbid they have serious injury because right now, all they're doing is business. Just taking care of business every day. There's something to be said about football piece. When it comes to the Bears, the conversations that you get on the get ups and the first things first, it's not about controversy, it's them guessing in the dark about Caleb Williams. Are the expectations on Caleb Williams too high is over our shoulder right now on the get up. That's the question. Right. That's all they have, Cap. Because there isn't one of those things where there's a hold in or a hold out. There isn't a general manager that's on the hot seat. The head coach? Oh, different story. We're going to find out how all this works. Agreed. But the point is, Cap, is that with all of this, the only things left is to be able to win games. The only thing left is for them to be able to be in the playoffs and for them to start their run. That's the only thing that's left. And again, when we take a look at this depth chart that we open up every day, depth charts don't win championships. They don't win divisions. They don't get playoff births. However, when you take a look at the amount of talent that's been assembled by the general manager Ryan Polls, you have to take your hat off to it. And again, you have to compare to what we saw even four or five years ago to where we are right now. How about two years ago when they went three and 14? Well, it's still under the same regime, but there was a plan there where people weren't sure of the plan. OK, so they thought they thought it was the same old, same old, because what we're used to around here, we're used to seeing losses and ineptitude. People didn't know. So you know, Polls got here two years ago, January. So it was two and a half years in. Go back to the last roster of Ryan Pace. And compare that roster to this roster. Who's left? Oh, that really plays. Cole Comette, Jalen Johnson, which is Ryan Pace's best draft pick in his tenure. He was here like seven years. I mean, Khalil Herbert is still here. I don't know how far how much longer. But you look at what Polls has brought in. Oh, Teva Jenkins was a Pace guy. But Braxton Jones, Ryan polls. Darnell Wright, Ryan polls. That's your bookend tackles. No, are they good enough? We'll find out. We're going to find out. Obviously Caleb, DeAndre Swift, Roshan Johnson, DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, Roma Dunesay, Tyler Scott, Gerald Everett, Mercedes Lewis. Why don't we keep going? That's just on the offense. Sure. It's awesome to see what he's done. See, if you're always optimistic about the Bears every single year, no matter who's on the roster, no matter what the one lost record is, no matter the head coach, then you may not see this very clearly, Cap. If you're always optimistic and believe like, Bears are going to Super Bowl this year. Bears are going to Super Bowl this year. Well, you can look at a roster and can tell the roster versus the way I look at it, the way my brain works, is the Bears against the NFC North, the Bears against the NFC, the Bears against the NFL, based on the roster. If you have perspective and take a look at what's happening in the division and the conference and the entire NFL, you'll know before even the first snap when the Bears can compete or not. You already know, because if you're a fantasy football player or a gambler, you know the players and you know difference makers when you see it. You can hope and wish for certain guys on a Bears roster, but this is different. This is different because of the way he's able to stockpile this talent. Now does he take the plunge and try and pounce on somebody else's misfortune, troubles, whatever. Matthew Judon walked out of camp the other day, got into an argument with the GM and said, I'm out, see you later. And he left, left. He's 31 years old. Coming off a torn bicep, they said he's 100% healthy a year before he had 15 and a half sacks. Albert Breyer yesterday with us said they absolutely should call New England. - That got irrigated by the way, people were listening. - Saw. - Mm-hmm. The bend of vines in the world. (laughing) I follow him, he does a great job. - He's very good, very good. He replaced the late, great Daniel Greenberg. - Yes. - Yes. - Asked away. - Yes. - We can look at firm, he actually is dead. - Yes, 100%. We'll kill anybody before they die. We don't do that on the show. Maybe I do once more. I'd like to apologize. Who did I kill yesterday? - Chris Speyer. - Chris Speyer. - Yes. - That's it. Former Kalman Giant, yeah. - You were saying? - Anyway, the way the bears are being run, again, I may be way off on this, but I don't think I am. It really looks like George is getting his steps in. I'm piring his baseball games, sitting in the owner's box and Paul's is running the show with Warren. - Doesn't it? - Yes. - Like George? Here's some new gear that came in from Majestic. There you go. I got you some new shoes, you're really cool with the Bears logo. Here you go. - That's good. - And we got you a brand new Charged Up Apple Watch, the new one, the SC. Here you go. We'll see you. What are you guys working on? Don't worry about it. - Oh man. - Just leave the checkbook. So good. - We're signing a player for how much? Another one? Yep, we are. DJ Moore. - Just stay out of the way. - Montes Sweat. - Yeah. - Let's go. - Yeah, just stay out of it. And again, no one's guaranteeing anything when it comes to Chicago Bears. Not guaranteeing anything. What we're saying is is that this situation with the Chicago Bears is set up for success. It's all about execution now. It's all about execution. There's additions and signings to this ball club that I did not expect. Oh, because I'm a Bears fan. I've been there before. I've done that before. But we haven't done it like Ryan Pulse is doing it before. I didn't expect an extra tight end that it will be utilized outside of Cole Comette and Gerald Evert. I mean, that's not just a guy cap. He could be a cornerstone, along with Marseilles Lewis for leadership and a guy that can help you as well. - Tyson Beijing was on a podcast and said, Marseilles Lewis is no question the most important person in our locker room. That's a hell of a statement with all the studs that are in there. The question was, who's the most important person in the locker room? Not necessarily the best player. He said, oh, that's easy. That's Marseilles Lewis. Everybody goes to him. He's the leader. He's the one that sets the tone in there. That's why he's back for his 19th NFL season. I love it. - Jay Moore, let's set the mood. How about this? How about you and I? We set the mood for the Bears fan because the trailer's already out for hard knocks. - I can see the operation, the execution. - So good. - Keep it simple and be consistent. We're going to give you the keys, your own driving. This is your team. - You better come to play. - Rough and tough monsters in the midway. - You're going to get hit. That's what I heard. - I like this guy body. - With the first pick in the 2024 NFL draft, the Chicago Bears select Caleb Williams. - Unequivocally, we have the right set of individuals. That's what we do. - They're going to take us to the next level. - One, two, three, two, three! - Oh, it is so good. I've watched it like that in time. The wife's like, "Are you watching that trailer?" And yet, yes, I am. - Pass me a Winston, will you? - Oh, man. - Got a lighter. - Jay Moore passing that way. We could cool the way they wove in the history. There's Erlach. There's the Lake Dick fuckus. There's Singletaire. I like this kind of party. Yeah, it was dude. There's Hamp and Mongo. Dude, it was awesome. Absolutely awesome. I cannot wait. - I think Iberfluse is at least a six there. I'm sure I know he can get a little. That was just kind of a conversation with the rookies, I believe. So that was kind of conversational, but there was a poignant thought there from Iberfluse. He's letting you know directly how he feels. - So I was having an off the record chat with a current player. And I asked you a question. Iberfluse, he goes, "Oh, love that dude." I said, "Tell me about, does he hold people accountable?" He's like, "Are you serious?" He said, "You guys don't see it at the podium?" - That would be me. - That would be you. He said, "That dude gets after us now." - Right. - He said, "Nobody realizes how much we like playing for that guy and that he holds us accountable." He goes, "You guys don't see any of it." And he likes it that way. I'm like, "Okay." 'Cause the heat's on, man, you better win. - Let's go, Mike. - That's the only missing ingredient. - That's it. - We've laid out the things that Ryan Polls has done to get this team in place to win. It's not wanting, "Oh, we got the pieces in place." It's not that. This is the general manager saying, "Here you go, Matt. You got to win or else because I'm going all in." He did. One's the last thing we heard that about the Chicago Bears team going all in. - Right. - Push all the chips in the middle of the table, Cap. Here you go. - Now, if it is totally Matthew Judon or whoever, that's coming here on the defensive line, 'cause I still think they could use that. We asked Albert about Tristan Worf's, the stud left tackle of the box. And what I read yesterday is there's no chance you can get him out of there. - They're going to pay him. - It went from, "Oh my God, the Bears are so cheap too." Why, that's way too much money. - It doesn't matter. It's due diligence. - Correct. - That's what today's word is, is due diligence. Taking care of it before becomes a factor, before becomes an issue, before becomes a headline. Again, it's new to the Chicago Bears, but I'm all for it. Now, it's about winning. 3-1-2-3-3-2-E-S-P-N-3-2-3-7-7-6 is our phone number. How much has Ryan Pulse changed your confidence in the Bears? If you're on hold, you will be on the air, on the Cap and Jhood Morning Show. (upbeat music) - Yes, and Jhood are back. - I appreciate your show. I'm an Uber driver and for seven and ten every day, I've got you locked in. - Chicago's home for sports, ESPN Chicago. (upbeat music) It's a Cap and Jhood Morning Show on ESPN 1,000. And streaming on the ESPN Chicago app. Here's hoping that you have a great Wednesday. And it's a Waddle Wednesday here on the program. We'll hear from Tommy coming up at 835 right here on ESPN 1,000. If you're just joining us, how much has Ryan Pulse changed your confidence in the Bears? We're talking to you about it right here in the home of the Bears, ESPN 1,000. Cap, something else has been going on as well. And that is conversation regarding whether that the starters should play in the Hall of Fame game, coming up against Houston. You can hear that game right here on ESPN 1,000, like all the rest of the Bears games. But you know, you have four preseason games. And as much as it would be cool to see the ones out there coming up tomorrow, I understand the game plan for Matti Refluis and the Bears. Because I expect to see Caleb, but if you're not gonna play this first game, he will play the second game. We talked about this yesterday. Maybe a good portion in the third game as far as him playing a quarter in front of the home folks. And then maybe the fourth. All I know is that I don't want the Bears to feel like they're taking it back when the season starts against Tennessee. The ones have to play, Caleb has to play. He's gotta get that rhythm and that feel of being in a NFL offense. Practice is one thing, taking on your teammates, but it's another thing to be able to take on somewhat an anger. And if it's not gonna happen, it's not gonna happen when we want it to happen, a lot of us. But the second and third and fourth preseason games, it will happen. I'm looking forward to it. - I'm excited to know that football's right around the corner. Am I jacked up for the Hall of Fame game? It's cool when the Bears run out in their uniforms. And I'm gonna watch the game, but I'm also gonna be doing something else at the same exact time. I'm not gonna be locked in like, hey Mindy, don't bother me. I gotta be locked in to use your metaphor. The cap cave, no, that's not gonna happen. In the summer, Hall of Fame game? No, no Caleb, no starters. You know, we'll be watching guys who'll be working for whatever in two weeks. - Outside of New York McDonald's with a squeegee. - Yeah. - Looking for change. - Wow. - Cap watching not Hall of Fame game. Just put my fries in the bag, buddy. - Just one of my favorite phrases these days. - Yeah. - It's so good. It's so good. - It's so kind of setting, but it's so funny. Let's just be honest. I'm going to a concert tomorrow night for Thursday night. Yeah, and I'm bringing my iPad. It's an outdoor concert. I'll be sitting on the lawn and I'll have my iPad and I'll be watching the music I'll be playing. Yeah, that's it. - That's fine. But the bottom line is, is that it's about the starters and it's about the bears being prepared, getting ready for their game against Tennessee. - Yeah. - And just be ready for the maniac, Jeffrey Simmons. We'll get to him too. He's a Hall of a football player. He's out of his mind. - 3-1-2-3-3-2-E-S-P-N, 3-3-2-3-7-7-6 is our phone number. Let's get your thoughts about the Chicago Bears. Ryan Polls, as we laid out in our first segment, talking about how this feels different as far as what he's be able to do. Look, Bears fans, we've been here before, but we as far as the optimism of a season, but it's really about how this team can be able to gel and looking at the amount of parts that have been put into this depth chart for the Bears to succeed. Let's just see what happens. Lewis is with us on ESPN 1000. Lewis, good morning. - Hey, good morning, guys. Love listening. Joe makes my drive to work all so much more bearable. Just want to say, look, I'm not even 30 yet, so I haven't exactly gotten the greatest teams. I've always had those lovely teams that came up just short. I had that one year at Maggie. You know what, I've been a cautiously optimistic fan for a long time. This is the first time that I am truly, and I mean truly excited. And you know what, you know how confident I am this team is going to do well? You remember that, I'm sure everybody remembers that guy, Eddie, that Bears fan and name only. I am so confident that I swear to you. After every single win, whether it's Monday, Tuesday, even Friday or Friday after the Thanksgiving game, or it's not me if you guys have to be doing one after a Saturday game, if we get one, I will call in and I will laugh at that guy's stupidity for thinking that Paul has just put together an embarrassing roster. - Oh, anybody on the one side? Where are you, Eddie? - He's out there in the truck right now. - I am so excited. I hope he hears this, and I hope, I hope he hears every time I call in. I swear to you, after everyone, you will hear my voice laughing at him. - Right, love it. - Louis, we appreciate the telephone call. And already firing a salvo at Eddie from the north side. How about that? - Take that Eddie from the north side. - Because he's a heel, not really a Chicago sports fan. - Yes. - Not really, because even as the most disappointed, discouraged Chicago sports fan cap, there's always something you could say like, I like him or I like how they do this. It's never anything positive. It always sucks for him. - Correct. - He wakes up every day and goes, let me see. What sucks today? - I mean, I've never heard him with one positive thing. I've besides anything before, 1984. - Joey G ain't far behind. - He's with us on. Captain J. Hood, Joey, good morning. - Hi, Joey. - Good morning, guys, how are ya? - Good. - Good man, what's on your mind? - What's on my mind is, is this either flu is gonna be able to coach this talent, get Paul's put around him. - That would be me. - Is the beer gonna work? - We're gonna find out, man. I told ya, I just talked to a player who said, dude, you guys have no idea how much we like playing for this dude and how he holds us all accountable. We're gonna find out 'cause if they don't win, he'll be gone. - Yeah, but playing, playing is one thing. Coaching him to play is the second thing, is it that? - You're 100% right, Joey. The idea that players like him does nothing for me as a fan. - No, not like. - They said he holds them accountable. I said that to him. I go, yeah, he's a good guy. No, no, no, he said, that guy gets after us. - It does not mean anything to me as a fan that Matt Iraflus holds players accountable. And the reason why is because I see a string of Ls from last year. You just can't turn a blind eye to what the resume has been. The resume is the resume, Joey, as you well know. - You got that right. - He's got a lot to prove this, the idea that players respect him because he holds them accountable. That means nothing to me until I start seeing victories and for this team to get turned around. - But it is nothing. - We got him in there. It is part of the process. - What's part of the process? - I said that he's the guy. Okay, how long is he the guy if they're one in six or two in four? - It's a good question. - It's a good question. We're gonna find out. - And there's another BB. Why do you not start our star? It can't in Ohio where he'll be in 10 years. You don't start this kid. - DJ Moore? - But at least the series. - Who, Caleb? - DJ Moore. - Joey, there is not a team in the NFL that has started their quarterback in the Hall of Fame games since Teddy Bridgewater in 2015. They're not starting-- - There's not been a general manager that stunned what he did yesterday under the radar landing DJ for six years. - Yeah, well, Joey put it this way. I know that you wanna see it. I know many Bears fans wanna see it. It's not like he's gonna be put under glass for the entire preseason. It's at the Bills, it's against the Bengals, against the Chiefs. We'll see a plenty of Caleb Williams. As much as it'd be cool to see him out there now, I understand the game plan. - I saw you guys. Thank you for taking my call. Say you're a beautiful human being, pal, love ya. - All right, Joey. - You're drinking this morning? - We appreciate the telephone call. No, no, but Joey G in that regard is right. Because we are optimistic about what the season can bring, we cannot turn a blind eye to what the past was. Yes, it's a new season, but still, they might respect him. However, I don't respect his time management. How about that? I don't respect some of the things that he did as a head coach. How about that? Neophyte as a head coach, learning on the job. He's supposed to be an A to B coach. Hopefully he can surpass that with the roster that he's been blessed with. - Hopefully. - Because that matters. I don't care what the players think of Hebrew Flus. What I care about is whether that my favorite football teams winning or losing, and is he the reason why they're not winning? That's a big question. - They have to win this year. He has got to show significant progress. - How much is Ryan Poe's change your confidence in the Bears? We're talking to you about that here on the home of the Bears, also still to come. We'll get a chance to hear from Hebrew Flus about his game plan on not using the first team against the Houston Texans coming up at the Hall of Fame game. He gives this explanation coming up next on Cap and J-hood. (beeping) - Here's to Dave's headline, headline with Cap and J-hood. (upbeat music) Bears extended wide receiver DJ Moore with a four year contract extension, worth $110 million that will keep Min Chicago through 20, 29. The White Sox picked up minor league bats yesterday, trading reliever Tanner Banks to Philadelphia. Paul Dion walked across the field to the Royals dugout. White Sox also got rid of Aloy Jimenez, Hallelujah. He went to the Orioles who picked up some of the salary. It's got a milling prospect for him. Garrett Crochet was not traded. He is expected to be shut down at some point before the season ends. So White Sox lost to the Royals last night. Four three, that is 16. It's second, losses. The Cubs also were active yesterday, sending Mark Leiter Jr. to the Yankees for infielder Ben Coles and pitcher Jack Nealey. Nealey ranked in the top 25 of the Yankees farm system, while Coles has an 848 OPS in double A this season. The Cubs also lost again yesterday, this time to the Reds. They are falling farther and farther into dead last in that division. The United States women's gymnastics team led by Simone Biles. They made their first gold medal to 2016 yesterday in the team event. Biles punctuated with an outstanding routine as the captain. Game over! Mrs. Cap and Jay Hood, they beat in the traffic commute, so you don't have to. (upbeat music) It's a Cap and Jay Hood morning show on ESPN 1000 and streaming on the ESPN Chicago app with you till 10 o'clock. Then Mike Greenberg comes in at 10 followed by Carmen and Yurco 12 to 12.30 into White Sox baseball. They take on the Kansas City Royals. 12.30 pregame right here on the home of the White Sox. The ESPN 1000 waddling Sylvia after Sox baseball. And they're in Bears weekly with Jeff and Tom at 6.30 and then Black and up dollars 7.30 to eight right here on ESPN 1000. We're gonna talk to you about the Bears if you're just joining us three, one, two, three, two, three, seven, seven, six. The big announcement from head coach Matti Reffluis. - So big news for today. Starters are not playing in the Hall of Fame game. We feel really good where they are right now in terms of the pads practices we had. We've had three so far. And then have another one tomorrow and have a lot of good working ones on ones, two's on twos and a lot of good situations. You know, we got a head start there because we are in the Hall of Fame game, which I think is very fortunate for us this year to be able to add those reps, you know, time on task as we say to our football team. So we're super excited about that. And it's a great opportunity really for, you know, the guys, the role players that we're gonna have on our team and the guys that are fringe roster players. And, you know, those guys are gonna be looked at by not only us, but of course, the whole league. So I think that's a really good opportunity for those guys. - You said a couple of weeks ago, 45 to 65 snaps of this preseason. What is the path to get into that? - Yeah, I mean, so you look at, you got three left to do that, right? So, you know, that's always a number that you're searching for. What we had looked at this year, and it's week to week. So as I look at the healthier team, as I stated before, that can change, that can adjust. I do know we're getting a lot of good reps in practice. Those are also equally as valuable. And Cincinnati Works is gonna be also equally as valuable as those games because, you know, there you can run some more things and you're doing some different things there. And you can play, it's good on good there too. - Is he gonna start Buffalo? Is he gonna start Buffalo? - Yeah, like I said, it's week to week. I'm not making that announcement right now. - Matt, he reflects. - So, he's so much more comfortable at the podium. It's obvious he has worked on this in the off season besides getting the Dyson Blades to $100 hairdryer to get his quaffed hairdo looking away as it does. His look, he just looks more comfortable. Just like Paul's has said, dude, you're my guy, relax. We're good, we're good. We're gonna put a lot of talent around you. We're gonna get this thing where we want it. I agree that they shouldn't be playing their starters this weekend. I don't think the Texans are playing them either. But don't tell me next week when you go to Buffalo, the Caleb's not starting. - Well, he did not commit to the Buffalo game. He says we're not getting into that right now. And boy, I'll tell you what. - Oh, I'm sweating. - I'm imagining that he will play against Buffalo. - He will. However, he did not commit to Buffalo. - Why should he? - Let's start a controversy. - Why is there, let me ask you, if you were the head coach, would you already commit? - No, Cap, I would not commit 'cause it's no one's business. - Right, that's exactly right. It's not Finley or Biggs, he blocked me. Or any of these guys. It's not next week when it's time to make, why make a decision when you don't have to make a decision? - Everyone's looking for a headline. He's not giving any headlines. - Correct. - I'm so a little surprised and also happy, Cap, that you're on the side of the starters shouldn't play tomorrow in Kenton. I don't get the outrage. You get four preseason games, everybody else gets three. You're going to get the starters, the same number of reps, I assume, as everyone else is going to with the three preseason games. Why is everybody so furious? They aren't going to go tomorrow in a game that's extra. - I can't, you don't get it. - I can't speak for everyone 'cause everyone's not furious 'cause the two guys in here on this show are not furious. - Well, yeah, this show aside, yesterday, I thought Yurko was going to have a stroke. He was screaming about it. Waddle and Sylvie were pissed about it. I just, well, how about this? - If the Bears were not involved in the Hall of Fame game, Caleb would play the Buffalo game. - How about that? - He wouldn't. - Absolutely. - I agreed. - 'Cause they wouldn't be playing. The Buffalo game would not be this week. It would still be next week. - Yeah, I completely agree with you. - That's the whole thing. It's just a fourth game that you don't need, but I understand our Bears are going in, Hester and Peppers are going into the Hall of Fame. So you have to understand, that's why there's an extra game. - And Mango. - And Mango. So our three Bears are going into the Hall of Fame. So I'm shoehorning in Peppers. He was a great guy. It's great for the Bears. (laughing) - It's like, but if it was just Bills, Bingles, Chiefs, Caleb would start that game on the road against Buffalo. He'd be in there for a series two, three, who knows? - I think he's gonna play more than that next week. I'd do. - Yeah, just saying like that. But because it's the fourth game, the fourth game is treated like the last game. - Correct. - And even against the Chiefs, I don't know if he's gonna play against the Chiefs. It'd be nice for him to be out there just to get the lay of the land like, "Hey, you wanna play in a tough environment?" Even in pre-season, they're gonna be a full throat in Arrowhead. - Oh, they always are. - Oh my God. Even though it's a meaningless pre-season game, they're gonna be revved up and ready to go. So get used to it. So he should be out there for a few series there too. He's gonna play. The fourth game is the Wrinkle though. The whole thing is, the Hall of Fame game is the Wrinkle in all of this. If it was Buffalo, Bengals, Chiefs, we would see Caleb Williams and the ones out there at Buffalo. Without question. - Agreed. - 3-1-2-3-3-2-3-7-7-6 is our phone number. Derek in Brooklyn, New York. Listening on the ESPN Chicago app. Hello, Derek. - Sup, Dave? - Yo, good morning, champion. How y'all doing, man? - Good man, how are you? - I'm great, man. Just a couple of points I wanna make. To all the bears fans that's upset, like Teddy said, it's not everybody, but I don't get it because a few of the bears wasn't even going to the Hall of Fame and the bears were in the game. And Caleb Williams trips over the center and treats his ankle. You'd be getting the phone calls. Oh, why did Flus play him? Why, he just couldn't wait to, you know, he's gonna sit on the sideline. He's gonna watch. He's gonna pick up how to speed up the game goals. And like Cap said the other day, the tools are playing against tools. The Houston Texans starters are not playing correct? - Correct. - So why would you want the bears starters to go against these guys? And these guys that don't really have that much experience and then they wanna hurt and wanna argue guys by accident. The next thing you know, it's a whole big story on ESPN Chicago. That's number one, number two. I love the way I've always had confidence in polls when they first hired him because of who he was around in Kansas City. So my confidence never either was down or too high. It was just even kill. And he's proven to you guys on a yearly basis since he's been a GM that he's doing the right things by breaking the team down and building the team back up. You know what I'm saying? And one last little point I just wanna say, I wanna give a shout out to my man George from Glenview. That's my brother from another mother. You know what I mean? I'll shout out to him. And hey, gold bears, let's do it. I love the team, man. Let's get it done. - Let's go. - Take it easy, fellas, love you guys. - Love you. Here was Demico Ryan yesterday. Hey coach, who's playing it on Thursday? You guys will see you on Thursday who steps on the field. There will be a bunch of young players trying to earn spots. - There you go. - What's his answer? - Well, there you go. - I would be stunned if C.D. Strada steps out there. - Boy, that team is turned around. What, you talk about bad franchises. - Oh. - You're firing brother of color. You're firing lovey. Just like, and now you're locked in with Demico Ryan's and you've got a quarterback that could be a cornerstone for your franchise. Good weapons. Now, if you're a Houston Texans fan, you're like, okay, we've seen the first act. What's next? Can you get to the playoffs again? That wasn't supposed to happen that quickly. - No. - That's not how it was supposed to happen. The hope is that the Bears can be in that same scenario with a rookie quarterback and getting to the next level quickly. - The erotic massage king, he now plays in Cleveland. The whole sideshow has just moved on. Didn't they fire Jack Easterbee, who was the president? Went, okay, this guy's just awful for the organization. - Yeah. - Yeah. Gone. - Yep. - It's amazing how fast that works. And as Bears fans, we're hoping that the Bears can be in that same scenario where it's like, hey, the Bears went from three wins to seven wins. Oh, they're a playoff team and are a tough team and a tough out in the playoffs. That'd be great to hear. - You know, my buddy Jeff just texted me, makes a really good point and it wouldn't even bring up. You play the Texans in week two. Why would you put your starters out there now and show them anything on film? Anything. - You did it. - Sure. - What? - We're good. - Sure. - Just keep practicing hard. - Tampa, Florida, listening on the ESPN Chicago App. Here's Angel on Captain J. Hood Angel. Good morning. - Hey, good morning, Captain J. Hood, how are you? - What's up, brother? How are you? - I'm good. I'm good. Thanks for taking the call, Larger Show on. - Thanks. - I wanted to say that I have faith in Mattie with us to coach this team because first and foremost, historically, no great coach has ever done it without great players. We look at Andy Reed, you know, look at the Belichick, you know, so on and so forth. The list goes on. I think that this is the best roster that the Bears have had in a very long time on both ends of the ball. Not to mention, I think even if we've gone through some sort of a transformation that I think gives him confidence, and I think we all can buy into that, but when you look at the way the defense performed, that was retained and even strengthened. So I don't expect the defense to take a step back, and the offense was upgraded in every which way. So for all the fans out there, you know, let's be Bears fans. That's not focused so much about, you know, the stupid little things. Let's enjoy what's going on right now because we haven't seen it in a while, and that's pretty much all I have to say. - Angel, I appreciate the phone call. The one thing that will turn me will not be a hairstyla beard. What will turn me is for him to be able to coach this team properly, that he realizes that he has the talent, and he's got to get out of the way. Seriously, he's got to be able to let those guys cook both sides of the football. He has influence on the team, and the players, great. But again, it's about the wins and losses, and him not being the reason why the Bears lose, you know, the whole thing with him and understanding time and score, game situation, those things. We've had all that stuff behind him, but we will see. - We will see. - It's only fair, Cap. It's only fair. We can't erase the other two years. Even though despite him not having horses, his clock management and those things, those little things have to get better. - 100%, 100%, they have to be better. But I, again, I'm just telling you what players in that room are telling me that this dude's the right guy for this team, and they love playing for him, and he holds him a cup. That's all great. You said, better win. And he knows that. - Conor McKnight next on Cap and Jhood. - Follow Chicago's Home for Sports on Twitter at ESPN1000. Cap and Jhood are back on ESPN Chicago, Chicago's Home for Sports. - Conor McKnight is with us here on the Cap and Jhood Morning Show brought to you by. - That would be access community health at every stage. Every stage access community health is your family's medical home, and he, Cap is on the hotline. - Carx started out of Hollywood. - Yes, he is. - Rattle, rattle, thunder, batter, boom, boom, boom. - Shh. - Don't booty call the carx name. - Good morning, Conor. How are you? - Good morning, fellas. How are you doing? - Road to 24 is still alive. - Jay Moore's got the 24th theme. Holy cow, Conor. The other night, 5-2 in the 8th, and my friend Ryan McGuffie calls me, he goes, dude, you should bet them right now. It's plus 950. One out in the 8th, plus 1,110-50, depending where you shop. And Bobby Witt Jr. is just ridiculous. As bad as things are, he's fun to watch, right? - Oh, no, it's special. I mean, that's the Bobby Witt Jr. game. That's how everybody's going to remember it, that's talking to a couple people. I don't know that I've seen a ninth inning like that, like ever, from anybody, probably somewhere, but with the offense and the defense, that was incredible. - Conor, which transaction surprised you most yesterday? - Honestly, like the Elohim Ennis move, to be quite honest with you. I did not think that there'd be takers, I suppose. The way that Elohim's last couple weeks have looked, you know, over the last 10 days or so, he's been getting the ball in the air a little bit more. The ground ball rate has just been so extreme for him, despite the exit velocities. And really, that's been the issue for him with the White Sox. I mean, when he's been producing and not producing the way you wanted him to, ball's been on the ground. And for a guy who can get it in the air and drive it out of the ballpark, it is really difficult to hit a home run when you're hitting ground balls. - You can do it. It's just a lot harder. And I was surprised that they found the deal. I was surprised that the Baltimore Orioles were the team that picked that up, too, considering their depth all over the place on the position side of things. - I keep hearing that they were not happy with Aloy and with Mancata, how they've been handling their rehab. Is that a fair statement? - You know, listen, Mancata's out in Arizona, it's not like we get a chance to talk to him all that often. You know, Aloy's rehab has been seemingly ongoing even while he was in the major leagues. You know, I mean, that the hamstring would act up at times, or whatever it was would act up at times. And you didn't see him running at full speed around the bases, or at least his full speed around the bases wasn't exactly conducive to winning ball games. We had a game the other night where Jimenez was running as fast as seemingly he could to first base and decided to motor to second, he would have been the tying run. And if he's busting it out of the box, he's at second base, and the potential tying run. If you're going 75% or 100% is equal to 75% given the injury situation, you can't make second base and he tried to and it cost the White Sox a potential run in a situation where you're, you know, mired in the midst, I think of an 11-game losing streak at that point. So I think it's tough to say exactly what the results of those rehab assignments have been. I won't quite criticize the guys' effort unless I know 100%. They don't. Dribbitory, the gap right center fan, that ball is going to be, God! One grand slam, and Tommy Fann! Holy cow! Tommy Fann with the Cardinals, how about that? He goes from the White Sox to the Cardinals and an immediate smile on his face, Connor. I mean, I always thought he's going to be a keycock for some team and look what he did last night. Yeah, I mean, he's, he's an interesting cat, that's for sure. He is, I would imagine that Sam is a guy that enjoys slaying dragons. You know, whether it's, you know, it makes that part of it. And I think he got the, I think he got the lay one low last night with the pinch hit grand slam for the Cardinals, the old team that he had the beef with. I would imagine that he probably clipped some of the video and found an email from Mike Matidi and sent it on over for him to watch. Yeah, I, I get the sense that that's where things are at, and I'm happy that Tommy was able to do that. In terms of this losing streak, I think it's attracting more attention. Would you agree with that? I think it will, after this trade deadline, I'll be honest with you, that the, the story lines for me in the pregame show and postgame show both yesterday and the day before were more about the moves. I think they're going to accept themselves up for it in the future. Now, that focus will shift back to the losing streak. It's at 16 that the franchise high, it is absolutely not good. And all the questions that should be asked about a team that's going through a losing streak like this will be asked in a much more direct fashion. I, you know, work had to be done and, and for a team that's as far out as they were, as they are rather, you know, focus has got to be in a different place. These traits are, are crucial and the traits that were not made in Garrett Crochet and Luis Robert Jr. are, to me, far more important over the last 48, 72 hours. Connor, as always, we appreciate the time. Thanks for talking baseball with us. You got it, guys. See you, brother. Connor McKnight with us brought to you by the fine folks over at. That would be, I have no idea, access community health, and he's on the hotline. Shara Noshan, that's in two minutes on the cap and jhood morning show.