Kap & J. Hood

7/25 7 AM: Mark Potash

Hour 1: The national sports media has high hopes for the Chicago Bears, saying they can make it to the NFC Title Game. Do you buy that the Bears can go to the NFC Title Game? Chicago Sun-Times Sportswriter Mark Potash, who covers the Bears, joined Kap & J. Hood with the latest updates from Bears Training Camp.

Duration:: 46m
Broadcast on:: 25 Jul 2024
Audio Format:: mp3

(crunching) - Chicago. This is your morning routine. - Listen respect my name. - Cap and G hood. - That's right, that's right, we bad. - Uh-uh. - 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. - Whoo! ♪ Bring 'em out, bring 'em out ♪ ♪ Bring 'em out, bring 'em out ♪ ♪ Bring 'em out, bring 'em out ♪ ♪ Bring 'em out, bring 'em out ♪ ♪ Whoo! ♪ - Oh! Welcome in to the Captain Jay Hood Morning Show. On ESPN 1000 and we're streaming on the ESPN Chicago app with David Kaplan. Jonathan Hood with you, we've got Shay. We've got Jay Moore, we've got you. For a three hour ride on this deal breakers. Thursday with open phone lines for you. 3-1-2, 3-3-2 ESPN, 3-3-2-3-7-7-6. Is our telephone number talking bears in our first hour. You have a special guest coming up at 735. Mark Potash will join us. Potsy stopping by the broadcast. - Yep. On his way to Halis for resumption of training camp today. Here in the vibe up there is outstanding. We will get the 411 from the guy who asks the best questions in the press room. Mark Potash. - We'll hear from Potsy coming up at 735. It's funny, Cap. We continue to hear a lot of positives about the Chicago Bears because of what they've been able to do. We always compare on this show the past to the present because there's always history. History was not made five years ago or 10 years ago. History was 20 years ago, 30 years ago. And you compare the past to the present. And when we talk so glowingly about what the Bears have done in the off season, it doesn't mean that the Bears have won the Super Bowl here in July. What we're saying is that the operation looks a lot different than what we're used to. And that's a positive because you're going through the growing pains and you're trying to be a perennial playoff team. The operation looks more competent than it has at any time with me covering the Chicago Bears. - Yeah, I'm more impressed. That's a good way that you put it. It's more impressed at how they're doing their business than I have been in a very, very long time. Like 2018 came out of nowhere. - Nowhere, what? The Bears are 12 and four. - And then you go into 19 and it regresses right back to eight, eight, eight, eight. And then the last couple of years have been a train wreck until the last half of last season after Montez Sweat came over. It just feels like whether it was the end of Angelo, to Phil Emery, to Ryan Pace, compared to what we're seeing now, the vibe, how they're doing their business, the rep around the league, everything's different, everything. - So we'll compare what's happening now. And again, we're not guaranteeing anything. We just know that the operation's different than it was, say, for instance, Cap, I'll just, I'll pull out 2006 as a conversation with you. So the Bears get to the Super Bowl. And what I remember about that season is it was not enjoyable on this end of the fandom doing what we do as a talk show. I don't know what it was for you at GN, but for me being here, this was my second year at ESPN 1000. And every time the Bears won, the fans would call in and they'd say, yeah, we won, but that Grossman, man, that just won't get it done. Hey, just be happy with the victory. We were able to win. - Yeah, it's a defense carrying us, but that Grossman. And so the way it was built, you loved how the defense was just solid, like you couldn't score on that defense. And if you did, it was a surprise, how opportunistic that they were in the secondary with a peanut punch and being able to work with that cover too. It was excellent defense ran by Lovey Smith. And the offense did what they did enough to be able to win games where a lot of people that I talked to did not believe, but yet they got to the championship. What I'm saying is is that this season seems like it's built on both sides of the football. That was exclusively defense to get to the Super Bowl against Indianapolis. - Right. And then you had a strong offensive line anchored by Olin and Ruben Brown and all these different dudes that were up front and they could run the ball, Thomas Jones, the late Cedric Benson. This team here, again, injury could change everything in a moment's notice. I saw the Vikings, one of their starting corners, blue as ACL yesterday in practice, done. So you keep your fingers crossed every time they take the field. But this team has weaponry in the wide receiver room. They got depth in the running back room. They got depth in the tight end room. We know what everyone thinks of Caleb. I talked to Tom Thayer yesterday. I talked to Olin yesterday. My concern is who's the center? When you are rotating guys in and trying them out for the job, means you don't have a center. So we're gonna find out how this offensive line comes together. Waddle has given you his thoughts that he has concern, can they become an elite unit? Is Braxton Jones elite? I'm not sure. Darnell Wright was drafted 10th. He better become elite. The guards, Tavit Jenkins, could be can stay on the field's elite. Is Nate Davis gonna be able to stay on the field? So I think there's more depth than we've seen. Just not sure there's enough talent up there. Look at Detroit. They got what? Three number one pick starting on their own line? - No doubt. - So that's my level of concern. But it definitely looks like the bears are putting something together that we haven't seen in a very long time. - Dominance or production on both sides of the football? I've been looking for that for a long time. Even the last time we saw the bears in the Super Bowl cap, we're talking about and you are correct about the offensive line. I want you to compare what the bears are trying to put together versus John Tate, Ruben Brown, Olin Crews, who's the anchor of that offensive line, Roberto Garza and Freddie Miller. Think about that. Just Iron Gate trying to protect a guy that gave you 23 touchdowns, it had 20 interceptions. They did the best they could with that. - Correct. - Knowing that Rex was less than, but yet wins against Seattle, wins against New Orleans to march away into the Super Bowl. But still, just based on all the calls and all the information that I got from listeners at that time, didn't believe. You want to get in a position where you believe in your quarterback cap, where it's like, well, it's not just a defense holding it up. It's everything working together in concert. Offensive line, defense, and that secondary, it should be dominant this year. The secondary coming up, this should be dominant. You add the sprinkle of buy-art on there as well. Tyreeks, Steven, St. Kylo, you have so many guys that can be difference makers there. - And Brisker might be the anchor back there. - And that's a positive. All those things are positive. So you're right, blessed with good health. You have an opportunity here to really make some hay. - Correct, blessed with good health. So I still think they're a year away from getting the depth on the roster where they want it. And I still think they need to draft an elite. I'm talking elite or sign an elite offensive line. - It's funny when we hear people on talk shows like this one, when asked about the Chicago Bears. More times than not, it's like, you know, I like what they've done. We say it because we're Bears fans and also we're football guys. We can see exactly what's going on. A lot of our listeners look at that team that the Bears have assembled and said on paper, this team should be better than it was last year. But you have someone like Mark Sanchez, a former Chicago Bears quarterback and analyst for Fox. And you know what he says? He says this upcoming season for the Chicago Bears, it reminds him of his days playing with the Jets in 2010. - There's a laundry list of positives going into this season other than just his talent and ability. What they did around him, not just the players they got, but the types of players. Aquinan Allen, you know, similar to when I was with the Jets, I can equate a player like that as a Jericho contrary, where he is like your dependable third down, thousand yards a year kind of guy. Like he is just going to be Mr. reliable for you. You know what I mean? They have another guy like that in Mercedes Lewis in the tight end room helping Cole commit and Gerald Everett. So there's more targets than you add a guy like DeAndre Swift who's used to playing running back by committee. I mean, this thing's starting to look good. You got right at right tackle, you're figuring out the center position, but you have some real pieces on offense and with a coordinator like Shane Waldron, right? He took Geno Smith up to his completion percentage. I mean, just knocked it out of the park with Geno his first year as a starter. Well, he's going to have something like that in Caleb. And part of it is when do you let him be Superman and go to the telephone booth, right? We've had that discussion here before with Caleb in the off season talking about his ability and when is it time to just play ball? I think adding all of those targets around him. And don't forget, I left out DJ Moore. That wasn't on purpose, and they drafted Rome. So you're expecting that to be an explosive player. You have another one in Keenan Allen who's going to have fresh legs because DJ Moore and maybe Rome kind of start most of the, maybe he gets a little less snaps in them, but he comes in and crucial situations. So DJ Moore was like 40% of their offense last year. So, and that was with Tyson Beijing and Justin Fields. So, this is set up for immediate success. They don't play a, the thing working against them is that their division is so strong. Well, they don't play a division game till week 11. You've made that point. Green Bay. So, I mean, what if they just started out seven and two? You know what I feel like it's not, it's not an optimal wall prediction. It feels more like the Jets year two for me, 2010, with you know, you bring in Lydanian Thomason, you have Sean Green, Jericho Caughtry, Braylon Edwards, San Antonio Holmes, Dustin Keller, tight end like there's guys everywhere you look. - So, Mark Sanchez on the herd with Colin Coward yesterday talking about the comparison to his team in 2010 with the Jets under Rex Ryan and this one. - Look, we just went through some of the things that he was talking about. And I know there are people out there I'm not going to get snuckered in. We had a guy call yesterday. I'm not ready to commit that they're good enough. - Okay, understood. - That's fine, that's not how I choose to live my life. I'm optimistic all the time for my teams. I will call them out when it's deserved. Now, I don't think I was optimistic. The Sox were going to have a decent season. - Yes. - But I was optimistic about the Cubs. - The reason why you didn't feel that way about the Sox was because you're not an idiot. - Correct. (laughing) - Black Hawks weren't going to have a good season. - Yes. - But I was optimistic, the Cubs were. And I'm optimistic that the Bears are going to have a very good season if they have great health. - Yeah. I look at the team that we just talked about, Cap, in 2006 and think about the Bears defense now. And we are going back and forth and whether that they're going to sign in got where or not. If they're going to get someone else on that defensive line to help with the pass rush, the Bears at that time, last time that they're in the Super Bowl and part of this run, we'd love you to spend that some dogs on it. Dogs. - Oh, God. - That defense? - You're talking about Atawale Agunle and Tommy Harris and Tank Johnson and Alex Brown and Hunter Hillenmeyer and Erlacher and Lance Briggs. - Peanut. - Yep. - Nathan Vasher, Chris Harris and Daniel Manning. Come on, man. - But let me ask you a question. I was talking with the guys yesterday on the phone. Who's the Alpha on the Bears right now? - Shae J. Moore, hoodie. Who would give me? Like when I went in to cover the locker room before we became friends, that locker room belonged to Olin Crewts. And Olin's tough now, man. Olin will rip your head off. He is as direct and as in charge. And if he heard something from a media person directed at a player, he would turn the mute. You were not using that. Nope, not going to happen here. He'd flash the lights or he'd come over and go, "No, not going to happen." Olin was the boss and Erlacher was right there with him. Give me who that guy is on this team that is going to hold people accountable. Do his business the right way and you go, who's that locker room belong to? That guy, who is that? - See, it's hard to determine because usually in that spot, it's someone that's grown up with the team. Olin Crewts is one of those guys who was an original bear that grew up. It could have the chops to say, "Hey, this isn't right or hey, we need to go in this direction." - Right, and he played at a Hall of Fame level. - See, this team's so young. It's sprinkled with veterans, but they just got here. Montes, what just got here? Kian Allen's going to be in his first year. - Right. - DJ-- - Mark Sadie's Lewis, everyone says is the guy, the guy's in Beijing. Just recently it was on a podcast and said, "Mark Sadie's Lewis is the most important person in our room by far." - Okay, and the oldest, probably, right? - He's in his 19th year in the half belt. - And the oldest, but he said, "By far, the question was, who's the most important player in the room, not on the field, in the room with the guys?" He said, "Mark Sadie's Lewis, it's not even close." - Now, having said that, having said that, you want to be able to have someone that's going to be around for the next four or five years as anchors, as difference makers, as watchdogs in that locker room. - Okay, so from your, again, we're not there every day. We'll be up there again. I think we're doing the show, the sixth and the seventh up there. Who is your gut feeling? That dude is in charge in there. It's his room. Shay, who is it? Who's the dog, the alpha? See, that offensive line is so young. Like a Darnell writer or a Tevin Jenkins. And again, they just got here. - Right. - And if it's like a Marcie's Lewis, Shay, he may not be here next year. He might be the guy for this year, but you want someone that's going to be there like five. - Like five was there for 10 years. - Yeah, someone like that, that grows up with the organization. - Does it have to be an offensive guy? Because I think ideally in my world it would be-- - 'Cause Erlacher was the other one with Olin. - Ideally for me, it would be someone like TJ Edwards. I just don't know if he's that guy. - No idea. - Yeah, I don't know. Is it Brisker? - Don't know. - Tremaine, I don't know. - You're dealing Johnson? I have no idea. - And being a dog man, those guys are the boss in there. Like they run the room. - Most teams have one or two. - Correct. - That Bears team in '06 had a handful of guys that could do that job. Olin was the best at it. Erlacher was right there with him, but Peanut was a dog. - Yeah? - The 100, Lance Briggs was a dog. - When teams plant a seed through the draft and say, we're going to grow up with this guy. This guy is going to be with us for a decade, five years, seven years. That's when you can establish yourself as a locker room leader. But when you come from a different team, a different culture, I guess Gatheria Montes, what he just got here. Now, I know that he might have been that in Washington, but now he's with the Bears in year two. That's the thing I don't know. And this is what happens when you tanking go young and then you're trying to develop those leaders. Like, can I give you a cold commit? I mean, he's an original bear. He's been around for a little bit. - Right. I don't know. - I mean, I've talked to Cole. I don't know if he's being a dog. - Means you're not the easiest guy to be around at times. 'Cause you are direct. David Ross, when he played, was a dog. He was the boss in there. And you remember, he got Marizzo's face. In the dugout, pin him up against the wall. We don't play that way here. That's what a dog does. Doesn't mean you're the best player. It means you're the alpha in the room. - It's important to have a coach in the room. Coaches will say whatever. Managers will say whatever. But it's something like your own teammate holding you accountable in the room. Bingo, so important. - I remember Belichick saying if it ever gets to my desk, it's a big problem. He said, I don't go down to that locker room. That's their room, not mine. And I got enough veterans that hold people accountable that I don't have to deal with it. - Do you buy that the Bears can go to the NFC title game? Or is this too much hype? Let's get your thoughts on this. 312-332-ESPN-332-3776 is our phone number. You heard what former Bears quarterback Mark Sanchez had to say. There's other big opinions about the Bears. It happens almost every day. You'll hear it coming up next on the Captain Jayhood Morning Show. (upbeat music) - Welcome back to Captain Jayhood Experience. Weekdays from 7 to 10. On Chicago's home for sports, ESPN. - Chicago. What if they just started out 7 and 2? You know what I feel like it's not, it's not an optimal wall prediction. It feels more like the Jets year two for me. 2010, with, you know, you bring in Lydane and Thomas and you have Sean Green, Jericho Caughtry, Braylon Edwards, Antonio Holmes, Dustin Keller, it's tight end. There's guys everywhere you look. - Mark Sanchez on the herd yesterday talking about the Chicago Bears. We're so glad you're with us here on this deal breakers Thursday. We hope that you have a great day. 312-332-ESPN-332-3776 is our phone number. We talk to you about the Bears. You buy to the Bears can go the NFC title game. The answer to the question cap is I don't buy that. What I buy is, is for this team to be able to take another step. Because here's the thing. I'm always one to brace myself for disappointment because after all I'm a Chicago sports fan, that's one. But two, again, it's about incremental success. I would love to be able to come in every day with you and talk about this huge leap that the Bears have made. Oh my, from three wins to seven wins. Oh my God, NFC title game. Well, that's the hope. But I just know what Ryan Polls has said from the beginning. I listened to the general manager very closely. The general manager is telling us that we're gonna build this thing the right way. - Correct. - Now, I agree with what Courtney wrote in her little blurb on ESPN.com talking about how this is not a rebuild situation now. They're trying to get to the playoffs. Understood. And that is the goal. They have gone from rebuild to contender status. Contender doesn't mean you're gonna get there. It just means you're a legit team now. Legit. And they are. And I'm amazed by the number of friends. I'm not gonna believe it 'til I see that it's the Bears. - What fun is that? - Again, I learned my lesson. You fan how you want a fan. - Sure. - But what fun is it to go on, then I can't get excited. Why would you not get excited? This is the most excited I've been about being a Bears fan in a very, very, very, very, very long time. - It's not because it's another turn of the calendar and another season though, Cap. The reason why that there should be excitement about the Bears is, again, it's just context. It's the history of it. We haven't seen an off season like this. That's the difference. It's not like, oh, they picked up this guy and they got this guy. All right, let's roll the ball out there and see what happens. No, they had a concerted effort to be able to put multiple difference makers on the field. Young and veteran. It's different. - You're great. - It's not just middle or bottom shelf guys. Like, oh, we gotta put a roster together. There's a 53, man. Here's your sheet. Here you go. Here you go. - And they also control all their draft capital. - Yeah. - It's not like, oh, we went and got this. Like the jet went and got Aaron Rodgers. He's almost 40. - Yeah. - And they gave up all these picks. No. - Tune in. - We've got like nine or 10 picks left next year. Let's go. - They're all saying it, Cap. Many people. And I don't think it's a negative. And I don't think it's a curse on the Bears. Even Rich Eisen on the Rich Eisen's show said this about the Bears. - Nobody's sleeping on the team, but they're potentially sleeping on how far they can go. The one more sleeper team of 2024 is the Chicago Bears making it to the NFC Championship game. - Oh, my bad. - So what you're talking about and why I put them there is because that's one rung up the playoff ladder than CJ Stroud made last year. And if you're talking about strides by a rookie quarterback and that is the bar that CJ Stroud set last year, a unicorn type stuff, if Caleb Williams can do that and the defense can play the way that they played and the offense can start cooking with Caleb Williams. The Bears making the NFC Championship game is the sleeper team that I'm adding to this mix. - Let's go. - Nobody's sleeping obviously on the Bears. They're on hard knocks. Everybody's going to be talking about it. - Crazy. - But making it as far as I just threw out there. I don't think people are talking about that. - Madison was constant listening on the ESPN Chicago App Dimitri on Captain Jay Hood. Dimitri, good morning. - Dimitri, what's up, man? - Captain Jay Hood, he is deal breakers Thursday, man. How y'all feeling? - It is a deal breakers Thursday. And if Shay is worth his salt, he's got a good one cooked up. - Oh, that's just going to be something. - Let's go and follow my man Shay out. Cap, come on. Okay, let's get back to the point. I don't want to answer a couple things that are the couple questions that he post. I think the difference between the difference between the difference between now and last year. - So similar situation, first time new office system, quarterback learning that system, the difference now between now and last year is, I think the offense won what, the first two days. And then it was inconsistent, pretty much the entire training camp. I mean, you have pretty much Caleb, the offense, they're not backing down. They're learning this offense, but they are going straight at the defense. And you have seen just strides from Caleb early on. So I think that's the difference there. Your second question, hoodie, I do not think the Bears can make the NSC Championship, but I'm going to tell you right now, if you sleep on them, you're asking for trouble. I think that is, I think that's definitely true. And the last thing before I get out of here, I totally say this, a friend of mine yesterday saw the picture of Joe Burrow and he texted it to me. He said he looked like a bootleg, Dolph Lundgren, and I cannot unsee it. - That is a pretty good line. - Not unsee it, that's pretty good. - Hey man, have a great day, you too. - Do you have a good one, man? - I get a lot of D. - Peace. - Peace. - 3, 1, 2, 3, 3, 2, ESPN as our phone number. There's a lot of D as we go to Tom and Oakbrook. And he's with us on the Captain J. Hood Morning Show. Tom, good morning. - Good morning, guys. Thanks for having my call. - What's up, buddy? - Not much, not much. As far as you guys had touched on, you know, the excitement of the bears, I'm happy with their improvements. It's one of those scenarios though, where yeah, they kind of almost have to show it to me first. I'm sampling the Kool-Aid. I'm not full on drinking it, you know what I mean? I'm at the grocery store. I'm seeing the Dixie cups of the Kool-Aid. I'm like, you know what? I'll sample a little bit of it, but I'm not chugging it. You know, the one thing that I still don't understand is they held on to Matt Eberfluis instead of moving on from them. That might be the only knock I guess I have on the bears and the off-season. Yeah, Jim Harbaugh out there and teams with a coaching vacancy were drooling over 'em. And the bears didn't go and get 'em. Like if Matt Eberfluis got fired, do you think he's a head coach on another team? - He is not. - You know, but with that being said, who knows maybe this new group really works out for 'em and, you know, they wind up making it, so who knows? - All right, Tom, we appreciate the phone call, but at least we got him to drink some of it though. - A little. - He's tasting it. - A little, a little. Look, I've asked a handful of current players about Eberfluis. They said, you'd be amazed when he addresses the team how good he is in that situation and how much guys really like playing for him. He holds them accountable and you guys don't see it. - Let's go, man. - He's not great at the podium. He's gotten better. They've worked with him. But they said, you guys have no idea. This is from current players. - Sure. - You guys have no idea what that man's like in the room. Way better than you guys realize. I'm like, all right, now we in games. - Okay, that's all I care about. I mean, the fact is stronger than their opinion. For me, I'll just watch the games and I saw the errors in the same errors that you and I talked about. - Right. - Can't turn a blind eye to him, Cap. The hope is being positive. The hope is that he learned from the first couple of years of how to be able to handle his timeouts, clock management, coaching, pushing the right buttons because that's important for a growth of a football team. I'm just telling you that in the first couple of years, it was rickety. Was that great? - No question. - Right. - But they all got to wear that record too. It's not just him. He might be great in the room. All I saw is a string of losses. But besides you trying to build your team, I just saw errors that we put a big spotlight on while he was coaching. - And the record, like I don't think he should have been fired necessarily because of just the record because they tried to lose his first year. So he had no chance. The second year they started 0 and 4 and then got the thing turned around and were pretty solid in the second half. My problems with him were as the face of my team when he wasn't, he's gotten better. He's not great, but he was bad. And I thought the Denver game and the cleave, there were some egregious losses. Three of them. - On him. - At Detroit, Denver here, Cleveland there. - Yep. - Those were coaching. - No question. - So that was more why it's not the cumulative record 'cause Paul's gotta wear that record too. - No question. - And by design the first year, if they don't go three and 14, they don't have Kayla Williams here. - Coming up next, let's go to the Chicago Sun-Times. - Our guy, Potsie. - He will join us coming up next as we continue our bear's conversation in our number one of the Captain J. Hood Morning Show. (beep) - Here's to Dave's headline, headline with Captain J. Hood. (crowd cheering) - Rough day in Chicago baseball. - Yet again, Cubs lose drop two of three to the Brewers who had fun at the Cubs' expense on social media. - Thanks for the hospitality, Cubs. - Oh boy, they get a day off today. Trade deadline is Tuesday. White Sox blowing out late against the Rangers. And my friend Eddie Olcek said, "Go back and pull up the double play in the eighth inning. "They should have challenged. "It would have ended the inning." Instead, Pedro Elect did not the challenge. The runner would have been out. They then gave up a run there, a three run home run, ball game over. See you later. Thanks for coming, Chris gets us. Get ready 'cause we were getting busy with trades. - And so just asking the question. - Yeah. - He was just asking the question. He doesn't know it. He doesn't know. He just asking the question. - Just asking the question. - That's what he does. - But he said he would have been out. He's right. He would have been out. Walter Payton would have turned 70 years of age today. And the Bears, back to work at how us all. - Gee more. (upbeat music) - Follow Chicago's home for sports on Twitch at ESPN 1000 Chicago. Captain Jay Hood are back on Chicago's home for sports. ESPN Chicago. - It's a Captain Jay Hood morning show on ESPN 1000 and streaming on the ESPN Chicago app on the deal breakers Thursday. We got shot or no shot. Coming your way to eight o'clock. But first cap, we go to the hotline. - That'd be the Car X tire and auto hotline for our guy. - Rattle, rattle, thunder, batter, boom, boom, boom. Don't worry, call the car X name. - We go to the Chicago Sun Times. He covers the Chicago Bears like a blanket for the Chicago Sun Times. Mark Potash is with us here on ESPN 1000. Good morning, Potcy, how are you? - I'm doing great. How you guys doing? - We are doing awesome. So take us, you're there. Take us inside what camp is looking like so far through four practice sessions. Because everybody that I've heard or talked to said, the vibe is so different. What is your perspective? - I don't know if the vibe is that different. It was different the other day 'cause they had a community invite day so they'd fan out there. And that's always adds a little bit of juice to practice for obvious reasons. But I just say, I think the general feeling about the team is more positive. And, but I can't say, I notice the players are playing any harder or whatever. I think the competition is better. I think that's one reason why I'm really looking forward to seeing pants come on. I don't think it will be quite as intense as we'd like to see it because I think they're concerned about injuries and things like that. But I think at times it will be much more competitive and I think I really want to see just how much resistance this offense can give this defense. I think that will be a difference. But up 'til now, to me, it's just, I guess I don't analyze it as acutely as a lot of people do. So to me, it's been a camp and with a lot of expectation and anticipation, I guess there's that factor because they should be better. And I think they are better. So there's that, but I think everything, I think all that you're talking about as far as intensity of practice and interest. So I think that's yet to come because this ramp up has been, to me, fairly casual. - Mark, Cap and I like to go to the past and then marry it to the present. And so we were talking earlier about Gerry Angelou's Chicago Bears and that ramp up to get to the Super Bowl against the Colts. - So how do you compare the Angelo era to what Ryan Polls is trying to build with the Bears currently? - Well, well, that's a tough question right off the cuff because it takes a lot of analysis, I think. But I'd say right off the bat, the Bears are ahead of schedule. I would, well, I will say this. I will compare this. This compares very favorably to the, 2004, 2003, '45 when Lovey came in as far as the anticipation of a team that didn't make a playoffs or had made a playoffs for a couple of years, making the playoffs and making a jump. That is very similar. They have a better quarterback. They have a defense that can be as good. They have an offense that can be better. So I think that the chances that they can exceed this are better. I mean, Angelo at this point was bringing in Charles Tillman and Lance Briggs and Tommy Harris and players like that. And I think Ryan Polls has done a similar thing with the trade of all trades, the trade of the number one pick last year, the Hall, he's already gotten for it. So he's upgraded the team there. So I'd say on a pace to eventually match and exceed what Angelo did. And I think that's a key point because the Bears don't need to just make the playoffs. They need to become a consistent contender, which they haven't done since the DITCA era. So they really want to exceed that. What was it, '05, '06 and then 2010? I mean, that's a bad record for the Packers in this stage. That's the best the Bears have done since the DITCA era. So that tells you what, how low the bar is for Ryan Polls to succeed. And I guess I'm not sure if that answers your question, but I think he's ahead of pace, no pun intended, of where Angelo was and where the Bears have been for anybody since DITCA, just based on where they are at the balance they have. The balance they have on offense and the balance they have offense, defense, special teams, I think they're in better shape to be in position to exceed what they did in the Angelo era. How about that? That's about a good 2,500 word column. I just gave you, Mark. Go ahead. That's good stuff. So did you have that on record? You have been recorded on it. We play it and just drag it. Get the podcast of AI, put it out in the column form. I think that's good stuff. So let me ask you a question. Watching Caleb Williams, how different does the offense look to you now? Again, there's more talent than Justin had, but from the quarterback perspective, does it look markedly better? Not really, it's four days of camp without pads. I can't really tell. I think defense has actually probably had the upper hand. It may be even more than it usually does, but this defense is getting good. And that's another issue that we've had in camps for many, you know, going many years, certainly going back to the Trubisky era when, you know, Khalil Mackin Company were dominating this offense. And then you said, well, even then people were saying, well, you know, is it because the defense is so good or because the offense is just not very good. And we unfortunately got our answer in those situations. I think it'll be different now. So, so I'm not sure exactly, I can't say exactly how the offense looks. I will say this and I kind of wrote this today in the story room for the Sun Times. The one thing I can say for sure that I know, because you can't make any judgments after the first four days and that. The one thing I know for sure is the Bears have, the Bears have a better quarterback. They just do than Justin Fields. I mean, just as I thought Justin Fields was better than Mr. Biski, just a better quarterback, better, just better. I think, I think Khalil Williams is better and will be better and that will be magnified by the, you know, by the support around him and the defense that he's going to get to play with. So, so I will say that. I think the offense has a chance to be a lot more competitive in the next phase of training camp. And again, going back to what I said earlier, I think that's really what the big interest will be is, is we get, you know, I think the pads come on, fans come out. I think things are going to really start to get ramped up now. It'll just be a question of just how hard they go as opposed to kind of taking it easier. This is the time last year where injuries really started to pile up and that's a big reason or a key reason why they started 0 and 4. They started losing guys after this long ramp up, which they really had not had. And then they went into pads and all of a sudden guys started dropping like flies. And so I think it'll be interesting to see how careful Matt Iber flew this to avoid that situation. So, even though pads are coming on, things are going to get ramped up, it might not be quite what, what, what we're expecting. - Mark potash covers the Chicago Bears for the Chicago Sun times. He joins us on the Captain Jhood Morning Show on ESPN 1000 and streaming on the ESPN Chicago app. Potty is it, is it essential for the Bears to find an edge rusher between now and the star of the season? Or as is, is the defense good enough to produce? - Well, I think, I mean, you know, you can always use somebody, but you know, Gakway wasn't that much of a, of an upgrade. I thought last year he was good, but not what he was and what he had been. So, I know, I think they've fortified this defense pretty good that they can, they can go with Demarcus Walker and, and whatever they end up doing, you know, behind him in a rotation, I think is, I think they're very strong at all three levels of this defense. I think they have playmakers at all three levels and I think that makes a big difference and with sweat being the key factor. So, I'm not gonna say, oh, they should be just, you know, sit back and say they're fine. But on the other hand, they're not in a position where they have to overpay, just to fill, just to fill what they, what is perceived as a whole. So, I guess what I'm saying is, I think they can make it. I think this defense can take that next jump even, even, you know, with what you, you know, Demarcus Walker. It sort of don't mean to denigrate him, but even with just Demarcus Walker on the other side, I think this, this defense will still take the next step. Because I think Demarcus Walker is actually pretty good, even after they brought in sweat and a gakwe last year. And I think, I think in the second year, he'll be even more effective in a better defense. So, I think this defense will be, will make everyone else better. I think that'll probably be a theme, I think, is because they have so many up-and-coming players at all three levels of this defense that I think they'll create opportunities for a lot of different people, as opposed to having just one great path rusher. - In terms of hard knocks being up there, I had someone on the team say to me, look, the rest of the league, they have this perception of the bears, they're not very good, they're this, they're that. He said, it's totally different here. The vibe, everything in the room, the way we do our business, this team, this staff, this quarterback, he said the rest of the league is gonna look, go, whoa, Chicago? Wow, I have to pay attention, I may have to sign there, things look different. So, A, do you think that's a good thing? And B, what is, like the impact you're seeing, are there a billion hard knocks cameras everywhere? - Yeah, I guess we're seeing, are you asking me if hard knocks is a good influence? - Yeah. - I haven't really noticed the influence. I mean, I see them around and every so often, you'll see like a boom mic in either a huddle or in a, like just, I think two guys, I think I can't remember who it was. DJ Moore maybe was talking to somebody, but you know, a couple of guys will be talking and there'll be a boom mic there. And my, it hasn't, someone who's been scared to death of it, just being on the sidelines. I haven't seen, I haven't really noticed the intrusion and never really noticed the effect. I think the effect is once you see once the end, what they end up broadcasting. So, so right now, to me, hard knocks not a major effect. And I think anything, any juice or whatever at practice is just based on the fact that, like I said last year, you know, even though they were seven and 10, I remember making this point last year, this team feels pretty good about themselves. They feel good about what they're doing. And I think this year is an even greater extension of that with just the, with the upgrades they've, they've made on offense. So I think in general, they just feel good about themselves that they can be, that they can make one of those, you know, not a playoff team to playoff team leap, that you've seen many teams, including the Bears, do before. - What are you afraid of? What do you mean you're afraid a scared to death of the hard knocks cameras? - What do you mean? - Oh, I'm always afraid of any, yeah, I covered high schools, can't more remember this, what, what hoop dreams was being filmed. And I just remember just avoiding those guys at all costs. - It's mostly successful. So, no, yeah, just, yeah, don't want any, any private conversations caught on tape and things like that. And just a little wary of that. - Mark, it's not Watergate, it's just, it's the Bears. It's all right. No one's gonna harm you. You mean if the camera comes your way, you're gonna be running away in a full sprint off the field? - We think you'd be the best to ask a question that ends up on hard knocks. - Absolutely. - No, no, I totally want to avoid that. A much better, it would become too performative for me. I'm such a ham, so, so I just try, that's why I just try, I like that, you know, like Matt Nag, I just try to be myself. That's what Matt Nagy says, and that's-- - Be you, baby, be your-- - Oh, I care to do. - Hey man, thank you for taking time. We're big fans and we'll see if this team can take a significant leap this year, 'cause I think they can. - Well, thanks, Captain Hood. Always good to talk to you guys again. I agree, from my perspective as a reporter, one way or another, it's gonna be very interesting. - You got it, we'll see you up there. - All right, see ya. - Our pilot's from the Sun Times with us. - On the car, it's-- - Tiring on the hot one. (tires screeching) - Rattler rattle thunder, clatter, boom, boom, boom. (upbeat music) ♪ Don't worry, call the car next night ♪ - Shout out, no shot in 12 minutes on the Captain Hood Morning Show, yeah. (upbeat music) - This is Cap and J. Hood. They beat in the traffic commute, so you don't have to. (tires screeching) - Ah, see! (tires screeching) ♪ On ESPN Chicago ♪ - Cap and J. Hood, weekday morning seven to 10, on ESPN 1000, also check out our YouTube channel, youtube.com, look for Cap and J. Hood. Hit that subscribe button, that way you missed nothing from our show, on our YouTube channel, Cap and J. Hood. Cap, I just want you right now at the top of your head. Say you had a press conference to talk about your basketball team. The 10-year-olds that you're coaching right now. - The captains. - Yes. - With a K. You now bring up David Kaplan to talk about his new team, the captains. Cap, please, give us your thoughts about the season. - We're excited to be in this great league. We are fired up for new rivalries to develop. You'll get to know a little bit about our West Coast culture, where we have us in USC, Oregon's coming in, but we're excited, man, to be in this awesome Niles Park District League and play against some of the great municipalities. We'll be a real test for our team. We're very, very senior-laden, so we should be able to acclimate and make the transition. But again, just excited to be here and compete in this great tournament. I'll open it up to questions. - I think that is an awesome way to be able to introduce your team, I'm excited you are for your team, and it gives some personality from you. There's a dynamo that's coaching the team now. 'Cause again, you just gave 30 seconds. Then there's Deshawn Foster, the new UCLA coach, in his opening statement to the Big Ten Media. Here's Coach Foster. - How you guys doing? I'm happy to be here. Glad to be a part of this great conference. Finally put in two great emblems together, UCLA and the Big Ten. We're a school that's won, what, 123 championships, so this fits us being right in this conference. Football-wise, which is exciting. You know, I'm sure you guys don't know too much about UCLA, but our football program, but we're in LA. - You are? - Yay! - It's us and USC. - We, um... I'm just basically excited, really. That's it. Any questions? Wow. We're in LA, really? You say LA, is it LA? I did not know that. - Yeah. - It's the University of California at Los Angeles. Cap, that's as bad as I've ever heard. Cap, I mean, clearly nervous, right? - Yeah. - But you're the coach in the face of UCLA. And I know, like, there's a lot of media in Indianapolis, I mean, it's the Big Ten media to understand that. That's the best you could do. I mean-- - Yeah, no prepared remarks, no. - Cap, it's just-- - You and I do this for a living. We talk every day. - Just on cap, on paper, though. - Don't you have a written statement? - Or just a few bullet points. - Talk about our excitement joining the league. Talk about our team. Open it up for quite like-- - You could drive-- - We're in Los Angeles? - You could drive a pace bus through that silence. - It's horrible. - Cap! Where's your bullet points? Where's your SID? - Make sure you say this now. And here are the players. I know it's NIL, so they're new, but you gotta know these names here, you see. And talk about your excitement. - That was awful. - That was really bad. If I was the president, I'd be like, okay, we gotta get him some media training. - We're in LA? Is that what he said? - With USC? - Oh, really? The University of Southern California. I blown away. He's talking to adults, not children. - Oh my god. - He says, "You probably don't know much about us." And then mentions the one thing everybody in the world knows about them. - They're in Los Angeles. - Coach Foster, that's embarrassing. Shot and no shot in two minutes on Chicago's home for sports. - We're in LA. um