The Scores Report - The National Sports Blog » Matt Forte

Q&A with ESPN’s Mike Golic

Mike Farley — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 23:45:19 +0000

If you listen to ESPN Radio’s “Mike & Mike In the Morning,” you know that former NFL defensive lineman Mike Golic is one half of the equation and the counterpoint to long-time “Sportscenter” anchor Mike Greenberg. While both share a passion for sports, Golic takes the role of the “man’s man” and frequently discusses his passion for food and in particular, his love for grilling out. Well, lucky for us, Golic recently teamed up with Kingsford Charcoal to promote their new and improved briquets (and their new flavors of KC Masterpiece sauce and marinade), as well as with chef Chris Lilly, who owns Big Bob Gibson’s Bar-B-Q and is an award winning barbecue chef. So we’ve got some of their special recipes on our Grub For Guys page on Bullz-Eye.com, but we also had the opportunity to interview Golic about ESPN, grilling out, and of course, football:

The Scores Report: Hey Mike, we know you love to eat and love to grill. What is your favorite KC Masterpiece new flavor and why?

Mike Golic: I’m an original flavor kind of guy – no bells or whistles needed for me. But, I’ve tried the new KC Masterpiece Smoky Bourbon Barbecue Sauce and the smoky, sweet taste gives the original flavor some good competition for best sauce.

TSR: What are your thoughts on the new briquets, and do you use your grill year round?

MG: I have a fairly busy schedule with “Mike & Mike in the Morning,” ESPN analysis, and my family, but I definitely try to keep my grill fired up year-round whenever I have down-time. There is no better way to bring family and friends together than over the smokey flavors of a charcoal grill. In fact, when my boys where in high school, I used to travel to their football camps in early-August and grill for their entire teams during two-a-day workouts.

Kingsford MatchLight is my go-to charcoal – it has lighter fluid built into the briquet formula so it lights quickly and easily – which is especially convenient when I’m tailgating. I’ve heard that Kingsford briquets now light easier and faster, which I can also appreciate since I’m always crunched for time with my busy schedule.

TSR: Do you have any go-to items you like to grill for Super Bowl Sunday, or are you usually too busy working to cook that day?

MG: I will be working the whole week leading up to Super Bowl in Miami, but I’m excited to be able to go home and watch the actual game with my friends and family. But, while I’m in Miami, I will be firing up the grill with my buddy, world champion pitmaster, Chris Lilly earlier in the week. Chris has taught me quite a bit about grilling over the years and has inspired me to create a few tailgate recipes of my own. I will be demonstrating my BBQ Blitz Chicken Wraps for a few TV interviews with Chris before sharing a little tailgate with the lucky winner of the “On the Grill with Golic” sweepstakes that took place earlier this year. The recipe is attached in case your readers want to try it at home. For more great grilling recipes become a fan of Kingsford on Facebook at Facebook.com/KingsfordCharcoal.

TSR: The press notes said you have tips and recipes to share….can you give us a glimpse into that at all, or offer a recipe we can feature on Bullz-Eye.com?

MG: Since I’ve already shared my BBQ Blitz Chicken Wraps recipe, here are a few tips:

· Feeding a crowd doesn’t have to cost a fortune. There are many flavorful, inexpensive cuts of meat to choose from that are ideal for serving to a large group. For example, I use chicken thighs in my wrap recipe, which is a cheaper alternative to breast meat that I actually prefer.

· Plan ahead and marinate meat before guests arrive. Try KC Masterpiece® Marinades, which can penetrate meat in as little as 30 minutes, but feel free to marinate longer for more flavor. Two to four hours works well to increase saturation and intensify taste.

· Even when cooking over a single-zone fire, leave a small space unheated so there is somewhere to move food if you have a flare-up or if something is cooking too fast. Take it from me, no one likes burned food!

TSR: In regard to what looks to be an awesome job at ESPN, is it really as much fun as it looks like, or are you constantly working?

MG: Well, I have been blessed to earn a living doing something that I love – playing football, and now talking about sports – I can’t really complain. You know that cliché saying that if you’re doing what you love then it doesn’t feel like work at all? Well, that couldn’t be more true for my “job” at ESPN – sure there are longer hours some days, but I have a passion for sports and what I do and wouldn’t trade my job for anything.

TSR: Is your ribbing and banter with Greeny more of a show or is it really how you guys are all the time?

MG: Greeny and I have a great time on and off set with each other. We are dynamically different people – everything from looks and personalities, to experiences and backgrounds – but I think that is what makes the chemistry between us so special on “Mike & Mike in the Morning.”

TSR: Which NFL team is the most pleasant surprise to you this season, and which is the biggest disappointment?

MG: I would have to say that Cincinnati surprised me the most this year – with the emergence of Cedric Benson from his woeful first few season in the league, a healthy Carson Palmer who is showing no signs of his knee injury, and Chad Ochocinco getting back to his premier status as one of the league’s most valuable receivers. And it goes without saying that this team has shown great strength through dealing with the loss of not one, but two family members this season with the passing of defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer’s wife, and the tragic death of wide receiver Chris Henry in early December. It was a shame to see the team exit the playoff picture so early this year but I have a feeling this team will be a force to be dealt with again in the 2010 season.

As for the biggest disappointment this year, I would have to go with Chicago. With the huge off-season acquisition of Jay Cutler and what was thought to be a strong running-attack with Matt Forte, no one imagined this team falling apart the way they did.

TSR: I lived in Cleveland for ten years and my wife is from South Euclid…..I’m assuming you live near ESPN now, and if so, what are some things you miss most about Cleveland?

MG: Yes, I live in Connecticut now to be close to the studio, which was a great place to raise a family. However, I will say that I do miss having a local team to root for, as there aren’t any pro teams that represent the state that I now call home.

TSR: Did you agree with Notre Dame (Golic’s alma mater) making a coaching change and are you happy with Brian Kelly’s hire?

MG: I’ve always thought you should get five years and that’s what Charlie got, I like him as a coach very much, but the wins have to come with it – I think the Golden Domers made a great hire with Brian Kelly. The guy has a proven track record everywhere he has coached – building a Division II powerhouse at Grand Valley State with two National Championships in three years, restoring a Central Michigan program to glory with three MAC titles, and recently bringing Cincinnati to the forefront of the college football world with two Big East titles and an impressive undefeated season going into their bowl game.

Kelly is going to bring a different look to South Bend with the run and shoot, shotgun offense, and given the Notre Dame five-year coaching standard, I think he will bring the team back to national prominence.

TSR: If you were stranded on a desert island and could only have one food item indefinitely, what would that be?

MG: Well, I would have to make one exception to your question – I would want to be stranded on a desert island with a charcoal grill with an endless supply of charcoal. As for food, I would have to go with a nice, juicy steak. I am a meat and potatoes type of guy.

Is Charlie Weis a good fit for the Bears?

Anthony Stalter — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 21:54:46 +0000

Charlie Weis needs a job and the Chicago Bears need someone capable of calling more than screen passes.

Seems like Weis and Da Bears would make a perfect fit.

According to a report by the Chicago Sun Times, Weis would be interested in becoming the Bears’ next offensive coordinator if/when the job becomes available this offseason. Ron Turner currently holds the position, but he’s expected to be let go for the way Chicago has struggled offensively this season.

Weis failed as a head coach at Notre Dame, but his offenses were successful. He also had plenty of success as the offensive coordinator for the Patriots, so if the Bears did decide that he was a good fit, at least they would be hiring someone with experience.

That said, who knows if Lovie Smith will be retained at the end of the season. If the Bears decide to go in another direction, it would be up to the new head coach as to whom his coordinators would be. And even if Smith doesn’t get fired, there’s no guarantee that he’d work well with Weis.

Bear fans may crucify me for saying this, but the fact of the matter is that Turner isn’t the only reason why the Bears have been completely inept offensively this season. The additions the team made to the offensive line this offseason haven’t panned out and it has cost Matt Forte what was supposed to be a promising second season. Cutler doesn’t have time to throw the ball and even when he does, he forces passes thinking he has to make plays through the air because the running game is non-existent. Turner will essentially serve as the scapegoat to a much bigger problem.

We’ll see if this story develops, but as of right now it’s just a small rumor that may or may not grow legs.

Photo from fOTOGLIF

2009 NFL Week 11 Picks & Predictions

Anthony Stalter — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:11:27 +0000

Here are my locks (locks, ha!) for Week 11 in the NFL:

Chargers (6-3) at Broncos (6-3), 4:15PM ET
Denver quarterback Kyle Orton is questionable this week with an ankle injury, which means Chris Simms could make his first start of the season. Simms looked Brady Quinn-like bad in a loss to the Redskins last week and I wouldn’t expect much out of him if I were a Broncos fan. If Simms starts, I fully expect the Chargers to load up to stop Knowshon Moreno and force the former Bucs’ QB to beat them through the air. It’s not going to happen and even if Orton does start, how effective can he be on a bum ankle? About as effective as he was last year for the Bears on a bum ankle? The Chargers are hot, have revenge on their minds and are eyeing sole possession of first place in the AFC West. Plus, Philip Rivers is playing just as well as Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Tom Brady and Kurt Warner. I’m taking the Chargers to win outright and to cover.
Odds: Chargers –2.5.
Prediction: Chargers 31, Broncos 16.

Redskins (3-6) at Cowboys (6-3), 1:00PM ET
Now that the Cowboys have once again established that they’re still the same inconsistent team under Wade Phillips as they’ve always been, I’m wondering if the Redskins can pull off a huge upset this week in Dallas. Then again, without the brutal play of Chris Simms’ aiding them in victory, I can’t see Washington winning this weekend. In fact, I see this game being a blow out since the Redskins will once again be without running back Clinton Portis and Albert Haynesworth is doubtful to play as well. The Redskins have shown the ability to stop the pass, but if the Cowboys can control this game with Marion Barber and Felix Jones then Washington doesn’t stand a chance. Dallas’ offense should rebound from its horrid performance last week as long as the ground attack can help set things up for Tony Romo and the passing game. Washington just doesn’t have the players to compete with Dallas for four quarters and given how bad the Redskins’ O-line has played this season, they’re going to have trouble stopping the Cowboys’ solid pass rush.
Odds: Cowboys –11
Prediction: Cowboys 34, Redskins 13.

Falcons (5-4) at Giants (5-4), 1:00PM ET
I would love to predict a victory for my Falcons this Sunday in East Rutherford, but I just don’t see it happening. Michael Turner is out with a high ankle sprain, Matt Ryan is in the midst of a complete funk and the defense can’t stop the run. Throw in the fact that the Giants are at home and should be well rested coming off the bye and I see trouble for Atlanta. Ryan and backups Jason Snelling and Jerious Norwood are certainly capable of leading the Falcons to victory this weekend and the road team has won the past seven games in this series. But “Matty Ice” just hasn’t looked like the same player as he did earlier in the year and if he can’t cut down on the turnovers than the Giants will prevail. Since both of these teams are desperate for a win, I envision a tight game throughout. But all the intangibles are in the G-Men’s favor and I see them ending their four-game skid.
Odds: Giants –6.5.
Prediction: Giants 20, Falcons 16.

Eagles (5-4) at Bears (4-5), 8:20PM ET
Looking at both of these teams’ records, one might suggest that they’re both on the same level as one another. But nothing could be further from the truth. Outside of Lance Briggs and the struggling Jay Cutler, the Bears simply don’t have the talent to match up with the other contenders in the NFC Wild Card race – including the Eagles. Matt Forte is a good, young running back but he’s useless thanks to an inept offensive line filled with veterans whose better days are behind them (Orlando Pace, Olin Kreutz), fringe starters (Frank Omiyale, Josh Beekman, Kevin Shaffer) and one underachieving youngster (Chris Williams). The Eagles may be struggling at the moment, but they’ve got better overall talent than the Bears and I think they’ll prove that this Sunday night at Solider Field. Cutler has been brutal in night games (not that necessarily means anything) and continues to think that he has to do everything on his own (which means a lot). If Chicago can’t run the ball (they haven’t all year) then Philadelphia should soundly beat them on their own turf.
Odds: Eagles –2.5.
Prediction: Eagles 20, Bears 10.

Photo from fOTOGLIF

Warner rebounds as Cardinals crush Bears

Anthony Stalter — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 21:46:29 +0000

Kurt Warner shook off a five-interception performance last week in a loss to the Panthers to throw for 261 yards and an eye-popping five touchdowns in a 41-21 rout of the Bears on Sunday. Warner didn’t throw any interceptions while completing 22-of-31 passes for 261 yards.

Warner did all this without Anquan Boldin, who sat out with an ankle injury. Larry Fitzgerald seemed to enjoy the spotlight, because he hauled in nine passes for 123 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The 83-year old Warner (I’m kidding) is now on pace for 32 touchdowns and 4,350 yards.

Of course, Warner and the Cards racked up these gaudy stats against a Chicago secondary that couldn’t cover Fat Albert and the gang. The Bears thought that Charles Tillman could cover Fitzgerald one-on-one, which was incredibly smart on their part. Remember Boldin didn’t play, so why Lovie Smith and his coaching staff thought Tillman could (or even should) go one-on-one with Fitzgerald was questionable to say the least. Speaking of questionable, the Bears also decided to throw the ball seven straight times to open the game. Apparently the words “offensive balance” mean nothing to Smith and Ron Turner.

Not to kick dirt in the faces of Chicago fans, but many Bear-lovers thought this would be a Super Bowl team after they traded for Jay Cutler. I’m fully aware that they’ve had injuries on the defensive side of the ball, but even if Brian Urlacher were healthy, the offensive line and secondary are still a mess and Matt Forte has dropped off the face of the earth (part of the reason is because the O-line hasn’t opened any holes). He only had 33 yards on five carries today, but when you’re trailing 31-7 at halftime you’re not going to get many carries.

Their 30-6 win over the hapless Browns gave the Bears some false confidence. But this loss today proves how far Chicago is from being a legitimate contender.

Has the Bears’ identity changed with Cutler?

Anthony Stalter — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:45:48 +0000

The identity of the Chicago Bears has almost changed overnight.

The offseason acquisition of quarterback Jay Cutler has suddenly transformed Da Bears into a team that relies on the pass to set up the run; for decades, it used to be the other way around. In fact, Chicago fans had been waiting for a strong-armed quarterback to aid their ground game, not hide its weaknesses.

Through five games this season, the Bears have attempted 172 passes to only 119 rushing attempts. They’re throwing nearly 60% of the time, which, for the Bears, is unheard of.

On Tuesday, Cutler and the Bears agreed to a two-year extension that will keep the quarterback in Chicago through 2013. Does the move signal the end of the Bears’ philosophy of being a run-first team? Given Cutler’s gun-ho mentality as a passer and Chicago’s sudden desire to throw the ball more, one would think that Chicago’s smash-mouth days are over.

But a closer look tells a different story. The Bears are currently 27th in rushing yards per game this season, averaging 89.8 YPG. They haven’t run the ball much this year because quite frankly, they can’t run the ball. The changes the Bears made to their offensive line in the offseason haven’t amounted to much as Orlando Pace, Frank Omiyale and the rest of Chicago’s O-line has failed to gel. And while people are quick to assume running back Matt Forte is suffering from the dreaded sophomore slump, the fact of the matter is that the line hasn’t been opening up holes for him like they did last year.

So are the Bears becoming more of a pass-first team with Jay Cutler? Yes, but that’s only because their O-line is under performing. If the line starts opening more holes for Forte (who seems to be tiptoeing into holes more this season because of the amount of licks he’s been taking), the Bears will undoubtedly become the balanced squad that they envisioned when they traded for Cutler.

Until then, don’t expect the Bears to stop putting it in the air. And as long as they’re throwing, offensive coordinator Ron Turner better start calling more vertical passes in order to take advantage of Cutler’s strengths.

Falcons’ defense steps up in win over Bears

Anthony Stalter — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 04:18:10 +0000

Matt Ryan, Michael Turner, Tony Gonzalez, Roddy White and the rest of the Falcons’ potent offense may get more attention, but Atlanta can thank its defense for the team starting the season 4-1.

The Falcons beat the Bears 21-14 on Sunday night, as Atlanta’s defense forced three turnovers and stopped Chicago on a 4th-and-6 attempt from the 10-yard line with only 34 seconds remaining. The Falcons also held Matt Forte to only 23 yards on 15 carries.

But while Atlanta’s defense deserves credit for its effort on Sunday night, this game was more about Chicago squandering opportunities. Jay Cutler threw an interception to kill a potential scoring drive in the first quarter and then Forte cost the Bears another opportunity with a fumble at Atlanta’s 1-yard line in the third. The Bears moved the ball at will at times, but often shot themselves in the foot with turnovers or costly penalties.

For two teams that are supposed to contender for a playoff spot in the NFC, this wasn’t a very cleanly played game on either side. The Falcons turned the ball over twice and would have added another had Ryan not pounced on a Turner fumble in the second quarter. Neither team was very impressive and while Atlanta won, I can’t say the Falcons are definitively better than the Bears are after this performance.

Chicago may have found its franchise quarterback in Cutler, but all of a sudden the Bears can’t run the ball. There’s no excuse for Cutler (34) to gain more rushing yards than Forte (23). Forte has definitely taken a step back from his breakout rookie year, which may be a result of all the changes Chicago made to its offensive line this offseason. Either that, or Forte is just running with less decisiveness this year than he was in 2008.

Atlanta has its own issues in the running game. Turner had a nice touchdown run in the fourth quarter, but he finished with only 30 yards on 13 carries. Granted, Chicago’s defense had a lot to do with that, but Turner hasn’t run well all season save for his performance last week in a win over the 49ers. Defensively, the Falcons have issues at cornerback and things didn’t get better tonight after Brian Williams suffered a knee injury in the second half.

There is a lot to like about both of these teams. Save for the first quarter interception, Cutler was excellent once again and gave the Bears a chance to win at the end. The Ryan-to-Gonzo connection looks unstoppable on third downs and once again produced a touchdown. Both defenses are tough, physical and can cause turnovers.

But when you see a team like the Saints destroy the Giants on Sunday and then watch the game tonight, it’s clear the Falcons and Bears have a long way to go.

Bears’ offense starting to take shape

Anthony Stalter — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 22:39:15 +0000

The Chicago Bears have problems in their secondary and can’t keep any of their linebackers healthy.

But their offense is starting to take shape with Jay Cutler under center.

Albeit it was against the Lions, but the Bears finally got their running game going as Matt Forte rushed for 121 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries in Chicago’s 48-24 victory. Cutler didn’t have to do much in the passing game, but he was clutch in the red zone, completing a 2-yard touchdown pass to Kellen Davis in the second quarter, then Greg Olsen on a 1-yard TD pass on a fourth and 1 from the goal line after a Detroit penalty negated a field goal. Cutler also rushed for a 5-yard touchdown in the first quarter to tie the game 7-7.

Rookie Johnny Knox once again proved his worth, returning the second half kickoff 102 yards for a touchdown. He also hauled in five passes for 31 yards.

The Bears are far from perfect, but if they can run the ball like they did on Sunday, they’re going to be potent. Their opening week loss to the Packers is nothing but a distant memory and with the bye week coming up, Lovie Smith’s team is sitting pretty at 3-1.

As for the Lions, Matthew Stafford looked great early on, but he left the game with a twisted knee and his availability for next week is uncertain.