Bears Season Preview

Led by Steven Campbell and Thomas Byrne, the Bears are an offensive powerhouse that has a really good chance to be the last team standing this year. Zach struck gold in the NSL Draft lottery, which gave him the opportunity to form what is arguably the most talented NSL team of all time.

Projected Starting Lineup | Thomas Byrne, Steven Campbell, Idi Nsbuga

Two spots in the starting lineup are locked up – Steven and Thomas are both MVP candidates so they will not be coming off the bench. However, Zach will have an interesting decision to make with that third spot. John Ross is probably the better player than Idi, but my bet is on Idi locking up the third starting spot this year. No offense to John and Idi, but the Bears will go as far as Soup and Thomas take them, so Zach will do his best to balance his rotations to best support his two superstars. As an elite defender and a pass first player, Idi complements them better than John does. The decision on who locks up the third starting spot probably won’t be made until preseason and training camp begin in a few months.

Captain Impact | Zach Goldman

At first glance Zach aced his first test: the NSL draft. However, Thomas Byrne lives over 30 minutes away all the way in Swampscott, so the selection of Idi – another player who may not be abe to come much – may have been a bit questionable in the 4th round. He could have opted for a more reliable player at that spot in Charlie or Willy B. Another interesting factor is that Zach has a very poor track record at managing his team in his Fantasy Football League, so it’s fair to wonder if that will carry over to the court.

Zach will be leaving for California in June, so he won’t be in attendance for most of the season. He isn’t particularly close with any of his players, so it will be interesting to see if he can maintain control over the rotations/decisions etc. while he is gone. Last season, John Ross got in a yelling match with his captain – Nathan – when he refused to sub out after Nate asked him to. So, if that’s how John acted when his captain was present, I can only imagine how he will be when his captain isn’t.

Zach is a smart guy and knows basketball well (besides thinking Kobe > LBJ), but the jury is out on him making a major difference for his team this year.

Top Storylines

Can Soup and Thomas thrive together?

On paper, the Soup + Thomas combo seems unstoppable. They are both long, athletic do-it-all wings who can score at will. However, they will have to sacrifice to make it work – gone are the days where they each average 30+ points. If they are okay with this, I really don’t see how this pairing wouldn’t work. The Celtics are blessed with a similar “problem” with Jaylen and Jayson, but they are sitting around .500 this year so far. Who’s top dog? I’m going to go with Soup.

Will John Ross and Idi get along?

Idi and John are locked in a pretty intense battle for the final starting spot on the Bears. Idi is notorious hot head who really doesn’t give a fuck. He has definetly ruined chemistry (or forced a trade) if the wins aren’t coming. John had that fiasco with Nathan last summer and has publicly backed Kenny Brown after he mispronounced Idi’s name (he said eye-d), during the NSL draft. If they don’t get on the same page, this could spiral out of control quickly – especially with Z in California.

Passing?

Steven and Thomas are known for firing away whenever they get the ball. John Ross had ZERO assists in 4 games last season. Will this just be a one on one, “it’s my turn” type of offense, or will they actually pass the rock?

Season Predictions

1. Steven Campbell wins the scoring title

2. The Bears are shocked in a first round upset

3. Zach tries to move Thomas for Rooney; ultimately trades away one of John or Idi

4. John Ross averages a double double

5. Thomas/Idi start (and win) at least one fight

6. Arik does literally nothing as the assistant GM