LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- The Chicago Bears had just wrapped up a dysfunctional season.Chairman George McCaskey was addressing the firing of general manager Phil Emery and coach Marc Trestman when someone asked about his 91-year-old mother, team matriarch Virginia McCaskey.Shes (ticked) off, he said after the 2014 season.Who knows what shes thinking now.The second season under general manager Ryan Pace and coach John Fox isnt going the way the Bears envisioned.They hit their bye and the midway point last in the NFC North at 2-6, looking more like a team regressing than one poised for bigger things.Theres uncertainty about quarterback Jay Cutlers future in Chicago. There was a recent report of a rift between the front office and coaching staff. There has been a long list of injuries and breakdowns in execution.But there was also a dominant victory over NFC North leader Minnesota on Monday night. That, at least, sent them into the break on a positive note. Its up to the Bears to build on it.I think you always have positive visions, Fox said. Unfortunately weve had our setbacks along the way, whether it was injury-wise, execution-wise, how that affects your roster and your performance usually is pretty tell-tale. Hopefully we can get more whole as we go.The second half of the season includes just one current division leader on the schedule, and that would be the team they just beat -- Minnesota in the final game. Three other teams are a game above .500, two are at .500, one is 3-4 and another is against San Francisco (1-6).Something else that should help the Bears is theyre starting to get key players back.Cutler made a successful return after missing five games because of a thumb injury and linebacker Pernell McPhee has played the past two after he started the season on the physically unable to perform list following offseason knee surgery. But receiver Kevin White and linebacker Lamarr Houston went on injured reserve this season, big blows for the offense and defense.A long line of Bears have either missed time or played through injuries. Thats forced backups to carry a bigger load and exposed a lack of depth.Along with that, there are mounting questions about the direction of the franchise.Fox wavering over Cutlers future as the starter fueled more speculation about the quarterbacks time with the team. They also dont have a young QB theyve been grooming to replace him. And they dont know what they have in White, the No. 7 overall pick in 2015.After missing his rookie season because of a left shin injury, he is once again on injured reserve with a fractured left fibula, though Fox has said he could come back this season. That injury happened in the fourth game of the season against Detroit on Oct. 2.White was leading the team with 19 receptions and had 187 yards when he went on IR. But its not clear if he can stay healthy, let alone develop into a star.Its not just White, though. The Bears 2015 draft class as a whole has taken a beating.Two of the six picks are on injured reserve (White, center Hroniss Grasu with a torn ACL) and two more have missed time because of injuries (nose tackle Eddie Goldman, running back Jeremy Langford). Safety Adrian Amos is the only one to play all eight games, and offensive lineman Tayo Fabuluje is no longer with the team.So when you build in the draft and you lose a whole draft class, its not real conducive to success, Fox said.Despite all that, there have been some positive developments for the Bears.Outside linebacker Leonard Floyd is starting to emerge after being slowed by calf and hamstring injuries. The No. 9 overall draft pick, he has three sacks over the past two games.That kid is special, defensive end Akiem Hicks said. He has a lot of great bend, great hand work. And hes under veterans who can teach him a lot like Willie Young and Phee and Coach Hurtt (outside linebackers coach Clint Hurtt), you know guys who actually played the game and were effective.Fifth-round pick Jordan Howard has three 100-yard rushing games after running for a career-high 153 against Minnesota.But after having the Cubs deflect attention in Chicago with their championship run, all eyes figure to be on the Bears now.Its been very frustrating, because as you saw (Monday) night, were a lot better than our record is, Howard said.Its just little miscues here and there that weve had in other games. Were very confident that we can finish this season out strong and possibly make the playoffs.---AP NFL website: http://pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL Vapormax 2019 Moon Particle . As the crowd erupted, Davis knocked the ball off the glass and back into his hands. With 1:14 to go in overtime, Davis sixth block also became his 17th rebound. 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Vapormax Plus Triple White For Sale . -- Former San Diego Chargers safety Paul Oliver was found dead at his Atlanta-area home Tuesday night, and a medical examiner said Wednesday that the ex-player committed suicide. It is a sweltering Georgia summer day, with the temperature creeping into the triple digits and the humidity hanging in the air like an oppressive, invisible force.Sonequa Martin-Green and Andrew Lincoln are tasked with sprinting up and down a hill on this day -- over and over again.They both pull muscles in their legs, but cant stop, no matter how much it hurts. Not until everything is perfect.This is a typical scenario on the set of one of televisions most beloved shows, The Walking Dead. While one day can be radically different from the next, for Martin-Green, who plays the fierce and determined Sasha Williams, its all part of the regular challenge that makes her love her job so much -- pulled muscles and all.The series, which focuses on a group of survivors and their struggles to stay alive and adapt in the midst of a zombie apocalypse, debuted on AMC in October of 2010 and has since become a ratings juggernaut, drawing more than 17 millions viewers for its season premiere on Oct. 23. Martin-Green, who initially auditioned for the role of Michonne (Danai Gurira), was cast as Sasha beginning in Season 3 and has been a series regular ever since. Now in its seventh season, its filmed annually on location from May to November in Atlanta and the surrounding area.The scene above, which was part of Season 4, included the two stars (Lincoln plays protagonist Rick Grimes) culling walkers -- or zombies, for those unfamiliar with the series -- to the fence of the prison, in which the characters were living. When called by another character for help, the duo runs to the rescue. And while the final result is only a few minutes of the episode, it took hours of blood, sweat and tears. We just had to keep doing that -- up and down, and up and down the hill, said Martin-Green by phone from Los Angeles this week.It felt like it was 500 degrees that day. It was excruciating, and Andy and I both randomly ended up pulling our quads. We both kept going to the medic and saying Give us more of that rub!However, while the show is clearly physically grueling, its something she inadvertently spent her whole life preparing for. Starting in gymnastics at 8 years old, Martin-Green later got into softball and volleyball -- two sports in which she excelled in at Russellville High School in Alabama. As a theater major at the University of Alabama, she channeled her athleticism into stage combat and even received proficiency certifications from the Society of American Fight Directors (SAFD) in eight different weapons disciplines, including single sword, quarterstaff and knife.While the casting process didnt include a specific combat or stunt audition, nor did she do any specific training after being cast, the 31-year-old was immediately game for everything thrown her way on set.I do as many of my stunts as they will let me, she said. Thats the same for everyone on the show. Everyone is always down. We all push the limits as much as we can -- up until its to the point where its truly unsafe, I will do my own.From battling walkers to shooting guns to jumping over obstacles, Martin-Green has put her physicality on full display during her time on the show. An avid weightlifter, she remembers a time when she was trying to bulk up and increase her muscle mass but was unable due to the extreme cardio exercise she had on set. I was basically just running off all the muscle I was gaining, she explained.While every season presents a unique set of challenges, Season 5 was particularly tough for Martin-Green as she was pregnant with her first child (with husband and TWD acctor Kenric Green, who plays Scott) throughout its duration.dddddddddddd When the season wrapped in November of 2014, she had passed the eight-month mark. While her expanding stomach was regularly covered with weapons and various other props, she couldnt shy away from the action her character had grown to be known for.Martin-Green fought through morning sickness, fatigue and the elements, and maintained the same level of intensity she had previously. During a shoot near the end of the season, she recalls filming a fight scene on a bridge which required her to be constantly moving all day in the direct sunlight. Calling it one of the most difficult stunts she had ever done, she was unsure if she would be able to get through it, but she somehow managed.And while pregnancy is unique on the set, injuries are not. She and all of her co-stars have dealt with their fair share of bumps and bruises during the years.?A lot of stuff goes wrong, she said. Its such an intense show physically. Things are happening all the time. So whether someone passed out from heat exhaustion, or someone twisted their ankle, or accidentally stabbed themselves, or got hit in the head with a prop gun, the medic is just around all the time, and always needed.But, despite the risks and exhausting shoots, Martin-Green loves to be tested every day by the role. And shes grateful to have the opportunity to play such a strong character. Citing Sashas realistic evolution throughout the series, her development allows her to fully challenge herself as an actor. And as difficult as the fight scenes are, the emotional, dialogue-laden scenes are equally demanding --- something that she relishes.Its just so fun whenever I get a new script, she said. Especially because my character isnt in the comic (the show is based on a comic series by writers Robert Kirkman and artist Tony Moore), so I have this sort of infinite landscape to look at and to look forward to. I love it, and I love the way stories are told on the show.I love all the prevailing themes on the show -- one of them being female empowerment. And I love that its told in such a way that it doesnt beat you over the head with it, which I think is invaluable. Its presented in a way thats authentic and organic, and in that way, I think its much more inspiring.Martin-Green has been able to experience the rabid reach and impact of the show firsthand at various fan-centric events like Comic-Con and Walker Stalker Con, and thinks of everyone involved with the show, from the cast and crew to those watching at home from their couch, as one big family. While shes occasionally confused by an approaching fan at the grocery store (Im always thinking at first, do I know this person from somewhere?), she is thrilled when someone tells them how much they enjoy the show, or when a young girl on the street greets her with a, Hi Sasha!With the mid-season finale airing Sunday night, Martin-Green, like all of her castmates, is notoriously tight-lipped about what viewers can expect, but does promise an epic 90 minutes. So much so, she whistled emphatically about it for about 15 seconds after being asked about it.?Everyone will be embarking on their own kind of path, and youll see how theyre coping with this whole new world, she shared. Everyone is on their own [journey] in doing that, and well see where those paths lead. Its so tough because I really cant say anything. I have to really be creative with my words! ' ' '