I'm curious where everyone is at with their optimism. For me as a Colts fan, I feel like they can get right back to the Superbowl with a healthy pass rushing attack. I'm a little concerned about the Marvin Harrison thing, but as far as it effecting the whole team I don't see Dungy letting that happen. I think they'll be contenders again. Damn those Chargers.

I'm not sure how to feel about the Bears going into 2008. They addressed a lot of the needs that they had going into the off-season, but they didn't address them the way I would have liked them to. They got offensive tackle help, but didn't get a veteran guard. They got a running back, but a rookie that may not work out instead of the top notch free agent in Michael Turner. They got receiver help, but like the running back position, we got rookies and a couple of rejects in free agency. I love Marty Booker and I am glad he is back home in Chicago, but thinking of him as our number one WR gives me the cold sweats. And Brandon Lloyd as the number two doesn't make me feel much better. We gave Rex one more year, but we didn't sign or draft his replacement.

But we are signing our stars to extensions creating a solid foundation for the future which I like. But when we were too non-chalant in the off-season to have any Bears fans thinking that the organization was doing anything other than getting ready to make a move in 2009.

So it's really been a "six in one hand, half a dozen in the other" kind of off-season. They filled some holes and got help in areas where it was needed, but it wasn't the kind of help that could get the Bears back in the thick of things in the NFC. At least, I don't think it is.

hey guys, so what is happening with the podcasts this season?

I am really interested to see how my 49ers go this season. They seem to be going in the right direction on defense but it was the offense that was truly woeful in 2007. Seeing what Mike Martz can do with this team will make for interesting viewing in 2008.

I was chock full of optimism last season and that just slapped me in the face so I am being very cautious about the 49ers hopes in 2008.

The podcast will be The NFL Tailgate.

http://stunnfltailgate.mypodcast.com

I'm feeling cautiously confident. I know the Pack did well last year and all, but I'm an eternal pessimist with sports teams - that's what comes with following a team down here in Aussie Rules that has about the same luck as the Cardinals in winning. Of course, that same team won it all last year and are odds-on favourites to do it again this year, but I'm still worried, which shows how pessimistic I can be. Back to Green Bay, though, and I think we'll still do alright, maybe win the division and lose in the Divisional Round or something.