Cutler deal is like an early Hanukkah (or Christmas) gift for Chicago

Last time on “Lynn’s Line,” I practically begged Bears general manager Jerry Angelo to sign Terrell Owens to a 2-year deal.

He didn’t and I took a sabbatical to find a far away place and ponder why the great city of Chicago, with its loyal fans, get stuck with terrible GM’s and owners unwilling to commit money for success. Angelo was nearing the John Paxson realm of incompetence.

Then, on April 2nd, Angelo did the impossible. He did the unthinkable. He sent the city of Chicago into a weekend-long euphoric daze complete with dancing along Lake Shore Drive (much like the parade scene in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off) and good vibrations as far as “The Wiener Circle.”

When the news wire crossed at ESPN, I must have missed it, as co-workers of all ages and sizes rushed over to offer their congratulations. I didn’t believe it, couldn’t believe it…wouldn’t believe it. After all, it was April Fool’s day only 24 hours earlier, and nobody had gotten me. I thought this was just a joke.

But low and behold, it was true. The Chicago Bears had agreed on a trade with the Denver Broncos that would land them 25-year-old Pro Bowl quarterback Jay Cutler. Needless to say, I’d never been happier to be wrong in my entire life.

This is BIG. Not just Chicago big, I’m talking historic BIG. So big, the smile didn’t leave my face the rest of the night. At long last, the Bears finally had a quarterback. Depending on your outlook, their first real QB in nearly 60 years (23 if you considered Jim McMahon a star).

Assuming Cutler plays to his potential, Chicago will name a building after him. Forget the Sears Tower becoming Willis Tower—and rest assured, no true Chicagoan will call it the latter—Cutler Tower has an awfully nice ring to it.

If Cutler leads the Bears to a Super Bowl title, children ages 6-18 will be especially thrilled. Hello, new holiday off from school in observation of “Jay Cutler Day.” After all, at one time we did get a day off in honor of some guy named Kazimierz Pułaski.

Now, the Bears just need to find him a true receiving threat so Devin Hester can be the secondary threat he actually is. Won't it be fun watching Hester use his blazing speed in order to try catching up with the ball as opposed to the QB nearly throwing his arm out trying to reach Hester downfield?

However, lost in all the Bears newfound glory over the franchise QB was the national media reaction—particularly from NFL Live analysts Mark Schlereth and Trent Dilfer. Both of who went on TV the night of the trade and laid into the Bears, essentially saying the team was no better after the deal than they were before it.

What? Did I miss something here? Was a new memo recently drafted declaring that every first round pick will be a future Pro Bowler? The Bears got the better end of this deal and it’s not even close—right now. As with any deal involving draft picks, time will tell.

But it’s not like the Bears gave up two top-10 picks. They traded away pick No. 18 in this year’s draft as well as the first pick in the 2010 draft. Assuming they are playoff bound in '09, that makes next year’s pick somewhere in the 21-30 range—the area where collegiate superstars and combine freaks often don’t live up to the hype.

The Bears finally let their fans and the rest of the NFL know they really are committed to winning NOW, with the defense that quickly saw the word extra detach itself from ordinary.

Jay Cutler gives the Bears the best chance to do that despite his lack of maturity and ridiculous remarks. All Cutler has to do is win games and throw touchdowns to make winter fly by in the windy city.

Meanwhile…

I’m actually pleased with Pax…well, kinda.


The Bulls have performed very well since Paxson's flurry of trade deadline deals that shipped out a majority of the roster while bringing in Brad Miller and John Salmons from the Sacramento Kings.

Miller isn’t the player he once was, but he’s the most consistent post threat the team has had since Elton Brand and his presence has allowed Joakim Noah to strictly focus on rebounding while Tyrus Thomas uses his freakish athleticism to get to the basket.

Meanwhile, Salmons is exactly the kind of mid-range shooter and slasher Pax thought Luol Deng was. Salmons is a very nice piece to have in place while trying to convinice whichever 2010 free agent the Bulls target-- is the visa ready for Chris Bosh, yet?

Still, Salmons’ play makes Deng’s contract the absolute worst in the league after any of the ones handed out by the Knicks the last few years.

ALL HAIL HAVLAT

Baseball season is underway, which is great, except that it's the first time I can remember not spending the majority of my time watching the White Sox.

That’s because the Blackhawks will be in the playoffs and that’s far more important at this time of the year.

The entire team has given its fans a terrific season, especially oft-injured right-winger Martin Havlat who has stayed healthy all season—in his contract year to nobody’s surprise.

As a kid taking full advantage of my father’s season tickets, we often went to games knowing the Hawks would lose but just sitting back and admiring the skill level of players in their prime such as Jaromir Jagr, Paul Kariya, John LeClair and Keith Tkachuk. Their work with the puck, creativity and scoring ability often left my father and I shaking our heads in amazement.

No offense to Tony Amonte, but Havlat is the most skilled player to wear the Indian-head sweater since Jeremy Roenick circa 1993. He sees openings most players don’t and the puck seems like it stays on his stick due to some magnetic force. He’s been an absolute joy to watch, seemingly in his own stratosphere in many games.

For those that don’t know, Havlat is the one with the big No. 24 on the back of his jersey.

OFFICIAL PLAYOFF PREDICITION: While the Hawks won't know their first round opponent until later Saturday night, I believe they'll make it out of the first round. Then things get interesting. Unlike the NBA, the NHL re-seeds and upsets do occur. With that being said, barring a major upset I think the Hawks run into a wall and bow out in the 2nd round. The reality of the situation is that the young Hawks are ahead of schedule but still a year or two away from competing for a conference championship and Lord Stanley's Cup.