Chicago Bears

This is a tough one to call…

Last year the Bears really surprised me. Not only did their early season form hold fast enough to see them make the playoffs, they did by topping the gruelling NFC North Division. For anyone who’s forgotten, that’s the division the Packers also call home.

I called the Packers Superbowl win before the 2010 season began, but I have to admit I thought they would have done it the easy way. Finishing runners-up and making it to the playoffs to face three road games, the last of which wound-up in Chicago was not ideal. And the Bears, despite flying under-the-radar, were able to more than justify their place in the NFC Championship game with their body of work last season.

But still I have trouble giving the Bears respect. They have a nightmare start to the season, having to play the Falcons (last year’s NFC No.1 seeds) and then the Saints (Superbowl Champions of two years ago) in the first fortnight. A win in either would be a big boost towards the Wild card I think they have to be aiming for. Green Bay have gotten better over the off-season (remarkably!) and look certain to secure not just the NFC North, but possibly the NFC top seed. And although the Vikings (an elie team a couple of seasons ago) have dropped off the pace, the Detroit Lions have put-in some seriously impressive offensive displays over the preseason and look set to win a few games and disrupt the Bears’ path to glory.

To the big question: can Cutler play? Yes he can! Give the guy some love! He had to adjust from a system in Denver that didn’t make best use of his gun-slinging ways, but now he’s a season older, a season wiser and a season hungrier, there’s every reason to think that his play will only benefit the Bears in the long run. They do need to sign a couple of big pass-catchers to help the guy if he gets in a tough spot, but the QB himself? No problem.

Verdict: A well-built starting team, but a shallow roster means their best will have to play at their best and stay healthy all year long if the Bears want to be doing damage in the postseason. I have them on 10-6 and in the mix for the sixth seed.


Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.

E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.

Carolina Panthers

This is not a year to think about winning. This is a year to think about breeding a winning mentality in the minds of these young players, none more so than number one draft pick, Cam Newton.

Newton’s size, athleticism and record all scream steal, even with the No. 1 pick, but there are always worries with QBs of his ilk transferring well from college to the NFL. Some make it (like, say, Roethlisberger and Flacco), others don’t (JaMarcus Russell and, so it seems, Vince Young).

But Newton seems a better prospect. His attitude is a positive one and, strange as it may sound, there’s something in his eyes – a spark, a twinkle maybe – that gives me a lot of faith in this kid.

Now, Carolina does have a superb and reliable rushing attack AND they have Steve Smith. If the O line can do its job, they will be competitive and should win a few games. The defence needs bolstering in the draft next year and once they’ve got the personnel sorted on the smash-mouth side of the football, we could see yet another NFC South worst-to-first story.

Verdict: Newton will flourish if protected well, but a porous defence will ship more points than this young offense can generate right now. They’ll finish last in the NFC South, losing a lot of close ones in the process. A 4-12 record should be the absolute minimum for this somewhat more deserving team.



Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.

E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.

Buffalo Bills

The most exciting thing about this team is their new kit. It’s beautiful. But seriously, this Bills team play together like a bunch of top college players with no NFL experience. The flair is there; the talent is undeniable. The attributes are all present; the awareness of how best to use those blessings is not.

Bad coaching. It’s really the only explanation. That, and the inability to find a QB who has been able to pin down one of the most forgiving starting roles in the National Football League. This year, though, with Ryan Fitzpatrick under centre, they may win a few games. He is nothing new, but he is at least the best of a mediocre bunch. Their ground game is pretty damn good when firing on all cylinders and although lacking a true marquee name at receiver, keeping things simple might be all this team needs to focus on.

The Bills play in an awfully tough division. It is, without doubt, one of the top four Divisions of Death along with AFC North (Steelers/Ravens/Browns/Bengals), the NFC South (Saints/Panthers/Buccaneers/Falcons) and the NFC North (Bears/Packers/Vikings/Lions). For the first time I can remember, the NFC East doesn’t feature in my Division of Death list, because really, the Eagles are the only team with any real chance of lifting the Lombardi come February.

Having to contend with The Patriots (my pick for the title, this year), the Jets (2 consecutive AFC championship games and getting better) and the Dolphins (a team loaded with talent and in possession of a solid-minded coach), is no mean feat. Year on year the Bills show flashes of frustrating potential before capitulating and basically handed their own arses to the other team.

They have had winning stretches in the past that belied belief, but it’s been a decade since they managed to put a full season together, and nearly twice as long a since they made it to the big game.

Verdict: At best, they might sneak third in AFC East IF Miami fail to gel this year. I don’t hate this team and wouldn’t be surprised if they made it to .500, but given their tough division schedule I reckon a 7-9 finish is more likely. No playoffs this year, but progress.


Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.

E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.

Baltimore Ravens

Now here’s a team that’s ready to roll. Quarterback, Joe Flacco, earned a lot of respect in his rookie year but perhaps took a step backwards as he tried to make the necessary fine adjustments to his game to improve his NFL stock. No doubt, Flacco is a big league football player, but he is young and prone to dips in confidence. When he’s playing on the top of his game, they are few better, more versatile men you could ask for under centre. These days, the Ravens are no longer just a Defence, nor is their offensive unit necessarily run-first. It is, for the first time in Ravens history, in perfect balance and one of the more stretching aerial threats in the league.

I could compare this young and dynamic Ravens team to the Atlanta Falcons. Ryan is perhaps a better game manager than Flacco, but Big Joe is perhaps the better-rounded and most certainly imposing athlete. Flacco, for a big guy, is quick on his feet and is resilient enough to take hits. For that reason he is the perfect model of QB for the tough-nosed AFC North division in which he must ply his trade.

A difficult opening fortnight of the season will see them face their arch rivals, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and then the unpredictable Tennessee Titans. Coming off that start 1-1 would be fine – even better if the first number comes against the Steelers. I think a head-to-head record advantage might decide the winner of that group.

The emergence of the Browns as a pre-season force with the addition of young QB, Colt McCoy, has made the AFC North a real live division and I for one can’t wait to see how this season pans out.

Verdict: A top five team in the NFL with great players, great fans and a great coach. Tough division and the odd head-scratcher could see them lose more than their talent should allow, but I think they’ll make it to 10 wins with relative ease. Anymore should win them the division with tiebreakers, but either way the Ravens will get into the playoffs as a wildcard if not AFC North winners. (11-5 and Div Champs on basis of 2 head-to-head wins against the Steelers who will have the same record).


Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.

E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.

Atlanta Falcons

Matt Ryan is the youngest Quarterback who has a realistic shot of ending the year as a top 5 player at his position. A rapid maturation from a stand-out college career has garnered Ryan a great deal of attention and respect. With a supporting cast that just keeps getting better, the Falcons could feature in the playoffs this year as Division Champions, but that is no lock. The NFC South – a division with a history of topsy-turvy results from year-to-year – is arguably the best division in football, with three of the four teams (the Falcons, Saints and Buccaneers) playoff-calibre teams. Even the Panthers could be competitive, which will make it hard to get out of this group any other way but topping the charts – Chicago and the Giants look good for Wild Cards. The Saints are the main contenders and Tampa Bay is highly regarded and a real sleeper candidate for the Division title.

The recurring neck injury of Peyton Manning may affect the perennial superstar’s ability to cling to a top five spot, and Ryan is primed to elevate his stock with a solid year, made all the more promising by the development of the Falcons receiving corps. A fast and talented team with a coach that feels more integrated with his players than many others, benefits greatly from having such youth and flair at the most important position. Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Aaron Rogers and Phillip Rivers will all feature in end of year discussions for offensive MVP, but Ryan and Houston’s Matt Schaub could find themselves in the mix if their similarly built units make use of their resources.

I love everything about the Falcons, but I have a sinking feeling when it comes to this season. The Buccaneers are capable of taking games off anyone this year, but may flounder down the stretch. The Saints look to bounce back after last year’s humiliating, but predictable loss to the 7-9 Seahawks in the first round of the playoffs and the Buccaneers are capable of taking games off anyone this year, but may flounder down the stretch. The Saints look to bounce back after last year’s humiliating, but predictable loss to the 7-9 Seahawks in the first round of the playoffs and I think they will atone for mistakes made by edging this tight division.

Verdict: Tough division means they may finish with a deceptively poor record. 11-5 should take the division, but I see the Falcons missing out for no good reason. (10-6)


Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.

E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.

NFL Preview: Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals bombed last year, finishing poorly and sliding to an embarrassing third place in the softest division in football. 2010 was never going to be their year, but it was unexpectedly dismal considering the amount of athletic talent on the roster.

It’s a funny thing with the Cards: if you look at their playmakers they rank as some of the best in the league, and their coach is an experienced mastermind who has been to the Superbowl on more than one occasion. So what gives? Why is the Cardinals’ trophy cabinet as barren as the desert in which they play?

There are a couple of reasons that spring to mind and both are in an aerial vein.

Firstly, the Cards have been in the past, never more so than last year, a really one dimensional team. When they went on that amazing Superbowl run they threw the ball a lot, but well. Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin and Steve Breaston had unbelievable chemistry. What they did last year was throw the ball badly. They go desperate too often and tried to get the ball into the hands of the man who has, so often in the past, made things happen.

But Fitz can’t do it on his own, which leads me to my second area of concern: the Quarterback. The reinvigoration of Kurt Warner’s career was a fairytale. His performance in the Cardinals’ Superbowl season was Hall of Fame worthy. His poise, maturity and connection with a young group of pass-catchers made what was a loaded but misfiring blunderbuss into a clinical and effective sniper rifle. And they didn’t even hit full stride until the playoffs, where Warner’s age and experience really came to the fore.

So they need a quality QB and they have secured the services of Kevin Kolb, a former Eagle back-up and assumed successor to Donovan McNabb until the emergence of Michael Vick.

Is Kolb the man? I’m going to say yes. I think Kolb’s desire to start at long last, his work ethic, his skill-set that suits a west coast offence despite it not being run in the same way in Philadelphia and a wealth of receiving talent are all reasons the Cardinals should feel good about their signing.

However, hoping that this will be their year would be a waste of time. The Rams figure to improve on a great first year for Sam Bradford and I think they will win the division that should have been theirs last year.

Verdict: The Cardinals will be back, but not in 2011. (8-8)


Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.

E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.

Two Years Ago Today...

Two years ago today, two of my very best friends, Thomas Western (who writes for THE HARE) and Stacey Dee Lloyd married and moved from Glossop to Edinburgh.

I was honoured to attend the reception at the Moon and Sixpence in Glossop. Dressed as a Victorian Dandy, I had intended to deliver a speech for the happy couple, which I duly did not. Why, I cannot remember entirely, but I believe once there I realised such words were unnecessary - their love was plain for all to see.

But the other day I was skimming through old documents and came across the speech that I think wound-up in their guestbook. Since today, August 11th 2011, is their two-year anniversary, I thought I would put it up here - for posterity if nothing else.

Congratulations guys - I love you both very much.

Rob x


Good evening ladies and gentlemen. We’re sure you’re all keen to get on with the revelry so we won’t take up more than a minute or two of your time. We’d just like to say a few words about the happy couple to commemorate the occasion.
When I first met Tom he was yay high. And, almost two years later, neither that nor he has changed. He is still the kindest, most selfless, gentle man I have ever met and he has had the deserved good fortune to woo, trap, or coerce into marriage the prettiest bar-girl to have graced the Glossop pub scene.

What I think is special about Tom and Stace, is their artistic connection. Both pursue their crafts with a level of inspiration and dedication, which is exhausting enough to observe, let alone experience. But it is made possible by their partnership through it all. It is rare that you meet someone who has the same hopes and dreams as you do, and all too often such similarity can lead to competition. But with Tom and Stace there is nothing but support. They understand and help each other through it all; constantly refuelling their desire to create something beautiful, be it through music or painting: they are common souls with a shared love for art and each other and that is a wonderful thing.

When I heard that Tom and Stace were getting married, I was unjustifiably excited. It’s not just because I was excited about dressing up, but because they were reaffirming my faith that there were people in the world, who still do things the right way, for the right reasons. These days it seems to me that the wedding itself often draws focus away from the marriage and the true meaning of it all is sidelined in favour of a big occasion. But with Tom and Stace there is no extravagant ceremony, or overblown ritual, no raucous farewell to single life or planes writing messages in the sky…it’s all been said already, to each other. It is an honest celebration of love and mutual appreciation in the presence of family and friends, and that is how it is supposed to be. And we’re in a bloody pub. Who’d’ve guessed?
So would you all please join me in toasting the happy couple, whom we all love, almost as much as they love each other! Tom and Stacey!


Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.

E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.