Don’t get me wrong, any time the Bears win a game it’s fun, especially since we haven’t had much of that fun in the past couple of years. But they make you earn your fun, as a fan, don’t they? Watching Kyle Orton throw more passes into the stands than to receivers, waiting for him to fumble away another game (he did, only this time an offsides call–on the Bears no less–saved him), and watching Brad Maynard punt his leg into oblivion isn’t the best use of a Sunday.
The defense? Well, sure, that is fun to watch. Especially the way Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs seem to be trying to smack the will to live out of opposing ball carriers. Even Jerry Azumah got into the act yesterday sending Ravens’ quarterback Anthony Wright flying into his own bench on a scramble.
The secret to having fun watching a flawed team is one with a great offense and a bad defense. You know, like Notre Dame. But the Bears are ours and we’ve learned to love them, even if watching them every week is a pleasure just above gum surgery.
The Bears are 3-3 now and tied with Detroit for first place in the NFC North. Everybody wants the Bears and Lions to apologize for being in first place in such a lousy division. But there’s another pair of teams also leading their division with 3-3 records, and nobody’s slagging on the Patriots and Bills. (OK, actually they are ripping on the Bills, so never mind. But hey, at least the Bears have some company.)
On the surface, yesterday’s win over Baltimore was impressive. The Ravens still have a great defense and playing the game, especially the second half, in the rain just made it seem all the more likely that Orton would either fumble or throw the game away. He didn’t.
It would be better though if a) the 2004 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Ed Reed had played, b) if two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Ray Lewis had been able to run more than three yards at a time with a bad leg, c) SuperGenius Brian Billick had enough brains to use Chester Taylor (two carries, 21 yards) over recently paroled Jamal Lewis (15 carries, 34 yards).
How funny would it have been though if Ray Lewis had re-injured himself, not in the third quarter like he did, but during the pregame introductions when he did his weird dance as the Ravens ran out onto the field? Now that would have been a must-have highlight for your new video iPod. Lewis crouched and jumping forward, then starting to do that weird shake dance, then, OOPS, he’s down! Ahh, maybe next week.
After the game, Lovie Smith said that the NFC North is improving and that the Bears are leading the way. This is kind of like saying that the current season of Saturday Night Live is improving and that Fred Armisten is leading the way. Whoopee!
The next few weeks of the Bears’ schedule looks pretty promising.
Next week they face Detroit at Ford Field. The Lions won yesterday in Cleveland behind the gay burn victim, Jeff Garica, in a game almost as exciting as the Bears-Ravens mud puddle fiesta. The Bears have crushed both NFC North opponents they’ve faced (a combined 66-9 over Detroit and Minnesota at home), and if they could carry that with them on the road they’d be off to a 3-0 start in a division where nobody else would be better than 1-2.
Then they face the Saints in Baton Rouge. The Saints are in disarray, freefall and any other cliche they could be in right now.
Week 10 is a home game against the worst team in the NFL, the 49ers. We were watching that NFL Films history of the Bears on our way to Solider Field last weekend when my nephew asked, “Hey, the 49ers used to be good?” Yeah, so did the Bears, kid.
The the Bears get up-and-down Carolina at home, go to Tampa (guh), then come back for their first Packers’ game of the season.
They could be 8-4 (and in first place) when they go to Pissburgh on December 11. Of course, they could also be 5-7 (and in first place). We have no idea.
The temptation, for me at least, is to roll my eyes and drool on myself when announcers talk about “all Kyle Orton has to do is manage the game.” I know it’s true, but I get tired of hearing it. I understand that what they are actually saying is, “Remember how lousy Chad Hutchinson, Jonathan Quinn and Craig Krenzel were? The Bears almost won games with them. All this guy has to do is not crap himself in the huddle and the Bears have a shot.”
But it’d be nice to not be worried that your quarterback was going to just hand the ball to the other team at the least opportune moment? Ahh, dare to dream.
There were some great games yesterday. The Chargers had one wrapped up in Philadelphia until they tried to kick a field goal to take a six point lead, got it blocked and returned for a touchdown and they lost by four.
The Giants looked dead and buried but Eli Manning led them on a last second scoring drive and threw a Joe Montana-esque TD pass to Amani Toomer for a win over Denver. The ending was so tough on Mike Shanahan that his glass eye popped out onto the turf.
But the best of all was in Minnesota. The Vikings were down 17-0 and the game was over. They were dead, buried and the hearse was driving away from the gravesite. Then, the Packers started dropping like flies. Robert Ferguson and Ahman Green both left with knee injuries. The Vikings got a long TD pass to Marcus Robinson. They even got Mewelde Moore’s first-ever NFL touchdown to take the lead.
Brett Farvuhruh drove the Packers right back down the field. But on third and three, already in field goal range, Mike Sherman decided to run the ball. Tony Fisher got a yard and the Packers had to kick a field goal.
Mike Tice almost blew the game by himself at that moment. When the Packers got stopped on third and three there was 1:04 left in the game. If Tice calls a timeout, one of two things happens. The Vikings either have right around a minute to try to come down the field to kick a field goal to win it. Or, if the Packers miss the field goal, the Vikings take a knee twice and win the game. Instead he lets the clock run down. There are only :28 seconds left when the Vikings get the ball. It was enough time to complete two passes and kick a field goal, but you got the feeling watching they won in spite of the coach, not because of the coach. Which, is precisely what they’ve been doing now for years.
On Friday, we had some fun with a rumor that Dusty Baker has been given permission to secretly interview for managerial jobs in Arizona and Los Angeles. The rumor even said that Dusty’s going to take the Dodgers job. We knew, of course, that as long as Moneyball co-star Paul DePodesta is the GM in LA that he’s not going to sign off on the hiring of a statistically oblivious guy like Dusty. Then, we read this in the LA Times. It looks like DePodesta not only won’t have final say on who the manager is, but that he might be kicked to the curb anyway. Damnit. They had to give us hope, didn’t they?
The Super Bowl XX Bears were honored during and at halftime of the game yesterday. Which brings to mind the dumbest reason ever given for why the 2000 Ravens defense was the best ever (it wasn’t.) CBS’ Soloman Wilcotts said that “because the Ravens won five games in which they didn’t score a touchdown, they were better than the 1985 Bears.” Go figure, a Bears team gets passed over because their offense was too good? I think not. It’s not the ’85 Bears fault that Walter Payton was on the other side of the football for them.
Jannero Pargo is going to make nearly a million bucks this year (guaranteed) to whatever it is that he does.
Peter King’s Monday Morning Quarterback.
Scott Skiles likes what he sees from Darius Songaila and Malik Allen. Well, that makes one.
ESPN says that the Saints are likely to move to San Antonio next season.
America’s finest news source takes a look at the Saddam Hussein trial.
On my way to tailgating before the game, I was listening to “Around the NFL” on ESPN Radio. Former Oklahoma Sooner great Tony Casilias and Sean Salisbury were just ripping the Vikings something fierce. Favre was eleven for his first eleven and these guys were saying how, instead of proving their resilience in the face of adversity yadda yadda, the Vikings had instead layed down completely. When I showed up at the tailgate, my first words were “What’s the over/under on what time of day Mike Tice gets canned tomorrow?”
And then they pulled the game out of their ass. Hilarious. So now the question is “What Week will be Mike Sherman’s last?”
The NFC North is slowly looking like the 1980’s NFC Central again.
I just can’t wait until Joe Gibbs beat us at home in the playoffs again. That never gets old.
There’s stuff in the LA Times that has potential Cub news?
What’s next? Crains?
Getting beat by Gibbs wouldn’t be old. It would be savored mostalgia!
Or even nostalgia.
Brett Favrehurer , or however you pronounce that stange name, would still look pretty good in a Bear uniform. Orton looks more and more like a long term NFL player, however not as a starter. Sexy Rexy is undesized and will always be in danger of being crushed…6′ 1″, 190 won’t cut it as a NFL player at almost any position, let alone QB….Bears Defense looked pretty good Sunday….against a worse offense than even the Bears can field.
Moistalgia is what you get when you look at one of my films from the 1980’s.
I had some of that Moistalgia once in my fish tank….
Saturday morning, I was in Glenview just before a parade was about to begin, when I happened upon a pair of children, aged about 6 and 3, both of whom had an uncanny resemblance to a player the Cubs acquired at the 2004 trading deadline (hint: this player has yet to pull anyone out of Boston Harbor).
Anyway, their father introduced them to me. Since their father has remarked that the older child is a bit of a baseball fan, I asked the kid if he was going to watch the World Series that night.
Great. He must be rooting for the Astros, right? After all, this is Glenview, the north suburbs, a safe haven for Cubs fans who would naturally pull for their brethren in the NL Central, right?
“No, I’m for the Sox!”
Ouch.
Yo, Mike D., no “Good times.” sign-off? I thought you signed ALL your posts about some inane minutia in your personal life as such.
Clipping my toenails yesterday morning?
Good times.
Yeah. That six year old kid needs a thwack sometimes. A good parent doesn’t do too much forcing or the kid may choose the opposite tack just to piss dad off.
At least the 6 year old doesn’t like GOING to Sox games. The fireworks that follow a homer surprised and frightened him.
Great offence and bad defense… hey, what about us?
Yes TJ, I encountered a couple of people over the weekend whom I always knew as Cubs fans. They also said they were rooting for the Sox. I told them that if we ever went to another game at Wrigley, I was going to stand up in the middle of the game and “out” them as Sox-rooters. With luck, they’ll be heckled and/or beaten.
Not mentioning the World Series answers the question “Don’t you ever get tired of being wrong?”. Affirmative.
Wait till the six year-old buys himself a Cubs jersey with the number 20 on the back.
I, for one, appreciate the absence of a World Series mention. If you live in Chicago, it’s unavoidable, so this is nice sanctuary, Cooper.
It’s amazing how many Sox fans have popped up here in Central Indiana. Before this weekend, I think the last time I saw a Sox hat outside of Chicago was in 1991 when they changed to the gang colors and everyone was wearing their LA Raiders and LA Kings hats.
These supposed Cub fans that are cheering for the Sox are really pissing me off.
There’s no room for them on the bandwagon in whatever decade the Cubs next make it back to the playoffs.
The bandwagon has pulled up at least thrice this week next to me. “Hop on”, they said. Nay, I replied, I’d rather wallow in my own pity.
At least, I think this is the right thing to do….
I agree. Sox-rooting Cub “fans” need not return next year. Just stop brushing (teeth and hair) and go occupy one of the seats at The Joan next season. Nothing is more worthy of being placed infront of a firing squad.
What’s the Over/Under on when The Joan is half full again? I’m setting the bar at 2 weeks.
We might be worse than the 49ers. David Carr is running for his life every week and we can’t stop the run to save our lives. We might go 0-16. That week 17 game against the 49ers is going to be a great one.
And it won’t even be any fun to watch since neither team is going to draft Leinart…
My few thoughts from the only game that mattered yesterday:
– What does it say about Baltimore when the CBS announcers salivate over an 11 yard Jamal Lewis run as ‘one of his best of the year.’ for the ensuing 3 (going nowhere) plays?
– If Billick is such a genius, why did I tell everyone at the bar I was at that the Bears were going to run a counter play-action bootleg pass to a wide-open fullback and why didn’t Billick’s defense have a clue? Could it be that I’m smarter than football’s verson of Tony LaRussa, or did he only watch the Cleveland tape from the perspective of playing the Browns as division rivals? And how great will it be when Dilfer and the Browns spanks Baltimore in a 9-6 shootout?
Please tell me that I wasn’t the only person who saw that play coming a mile away.
– Andy is dead on about the ’85 Bears getting passed over because they had an offense too. And don’t forget Baltimore got to face a Pittsburgh team QB’d by Kordell twice that year – and awful Cincy and Cleveland teams twice as well.
– Am I the only one that thinks the Bears 1. should’ve drafted Mike Williams and 2. that our running game would be even better from the threat of putting Muhammed, Williams and Bradley on the field at the same time? And that’s to say nothing of our passing game….
– Even though the Bears are probably going to lose, I’m looking forward to seeing da Bears live for the first time in Pissburgh. I just hope that my Urlacher jersey doesn’t get me too much grief.
– I could watch Ulacher and Briggs – or any other Bears defender for that matter – pop people all day long and not get bored. I still have daydream fantasies of playing the role of Terry Tate ‘Office Linebacker’ in our office – anything to liven the day up and have some fun. Oh wait, that’s what this is for…
– Big one next week at the tribute to America’s third-largest health-care provider or whatever Ford is. A win there and we really control our own fate. Bear down!
You were correct Chuck.
Chuck, you had seen the Crain’s Chicago Business article before you posted… right?
…forget it, just saw your post on it…
Go look at our schedule, then look at the 85 Bears…then with a straight face, tell us we were a more dominant defensive unit. Ask Eric Dickerson what he thinks…geez…
Nobody knows the Sox are winning.
Post-season baseball once again fell victim to the ladies of Wisteria Lane Sunday as ABC’s Desperate Housewives drew a 15.8 rating and a 22 share in the 9:00 p.m. hour, while the second game of the World Series posted a 10.1/15 on Fox during the same hour. The Desperate ladies also continued to boost the ratings of Grey’s Anatomy, which followed at 10:00 p.m. with a 12.2/19, while the Series registered a 10.5/16. Earlier in the evening CBS won the 7:00 p.m. hour with a football overrun and the start of 60 Minutes pulling a 10.9/18, while Fox’s pregame show was coming in a distant second with a 6.8/11. At 8:00 p.m., CBS remained ahead with Cold Case drawing an 11.1/16 while the series posted a 9.4/14.
Come see how annoying we are.
What are you Chuck, me?
Ouch.
I got 21 yards rushing on those two carries because they were delayed handoffs from shotgun formation. Both came on third and long. I have a good rushing average now. I should start int he pro-bowl. The Bears suck. Fuck you. Go back to 1985, pussies.
WTF?
Did someone say “delayed handoffs from shotgun on third and long” and “1985” in the same post?
Raise your hand if you’re surprised was everyone that I was AWOL at yet another ’85 Bears Gravy Train junket?
Didn’ think so.
Something’s got to be seriosuly wrong with me. Reggie Phillips cashes in more from the ’85 season and he was my backup.
This also solves (I think) the mystery of ND’s Mike Richardson, who also plays the corner for the Irish. For if he were my son, then wouldn’t I come to Chicago to at least watch him play in South Bend? From there, I’d go to Chicago to hang out in Soldier Field.
Oops. I meant “Raise your hand if you’re surprised that I was AWOL at yet another ‘85 Bears Gravy Train junket?”
Now where’s my crack?
That Astrolls site is hillarious. A mental health professional could clean up there with all the delusional thoughts.
I’m not going White Sox crazy. Walk into a bar downtown during a game and you here enthusiastic clapping when the Sox score. For every Sox fan yelling in crowds of people about the Sox, there are a few over-served Cub fans cursing their name. They’re going to bring me a World Series title at last and I’m going to smile politely, pat them on the head, stare wistuflly out toward the lake and sigh. It sucks to be me sometimes.
October 2003: Lights at top of Hancock building (the white stripe) – Cubbie Blue
October 2005: Lights at top of Hancock building – Haloween Orange
#37, A lot of us are doing the same as you. How many days until the start of Cub spring training?
That orange color atop uh da Hancock is for da beloved Bear, my friend. Navy blue and orange. Da Bears.
October 2003: Massive choke
October 2005: World Championship
I hate the Chisox as much as any other Cubs fan, but I hope they win for two reasons.
1. I live near Houston and my brother-in-law is a Asstros fan, and the entire franchise–from stadium to radio announcers–lacks personality and history. I mean, they played in an airplane hanger for like 40 years. At least the Sox have history, even if it is centered around throwing a series and wearing a mullet.
2. The monumental embarassment of the South Siders winning should, well, embarass the hell out of Cubs players and managment. It MIGHT be enough motivation for them to get their act together. Maybe even the pitchers will learn how to cover first base and the catchers will learn how to handle a rundown, etc. the organization deserves it. Too bad it would mean endless embarrassment for Cubs fans, who don’t deserve it.
If the Cubs hadn’t choked in 2003, it could’ve been the Cubs, BoSox and Chisox all breaking their curses three years in a row. Guess who effed me up?
I don’t know, #43. Me?
Am I wrong in thinking that the fans are going to be even quicker and earlier with the booing if this team doesn’t get off to a strong start next year?
I’d like to buy the argument that embarrassment will force the Trib Co. to do something because the Southside AL baseball club made the series, but I just don’t see it happening. I’d love this organization to come out and prove me wrong though.
Wait until you see me next January.
I’m thinking the friendly, aw shucks cornfed idiots who slave over us will be overrun in three months by an angry, intelligent, educated, ticket consuming, mob. I’m sure that Andy MacPhail’s ever-puckering arsehole is going spastic just thinking about it now.
Empty seats embarrass Tribune Tower. I’m sure you heard me proudly beat that drum in Gamecasts on days when I wasn’t there filling what would otherwise have been an empty seat.
Empty seats don’t embarrass the Trib. They piss them off ’cause it represents lost revenue.
It’s all downhill from here.
I must as well retire now.
The crowd was surly last year, I can only imagine how much angst there will be this year. Even among the sweat pants wearing crowd.
Maybe that Bears game wasn’t me if you watched on T.V. But if you were in the stands all day with the freezing rain dripping off the bill of your cap and felt the wind picking up off of Lake Michigan yesterday, you would think differently when you saw the Bears pull that game out. Sure you were pissed about the lack of offense for your beloved Bears but neither team turned the thing over and just took turns slugging each other in the mouth until finally the worm started to turn. Ray Lewis limped off the field to a chorus of boos, the manslaughterer. Thomas Jones got tough yard after tough yard and then with the crowd at it’s loudest and rowdiest, the D-Line of the Bears started landing haymakers on the Ravens and making wet sloppy mess of Anthony Wrong.
If you stood through all that long enough to see Tank Johnson get penatration and then blast AW into the muck before jumping up and letting out a tribal scream to the sounds of AC/DC’s “TNT”, and you weren’t having any of me, then I’d say you are a pussy and should go root for the Colts or better yet the fucking Rams.
DYNAMITE!!!
It WAS one of those games that may be boring as hell to watch on TV, but was great to attend–even with the cold and rain.
They just ground it out. Old school. I half-expected Bronco Nagurski to come running into the game.
Yeah number 45, you’re probably right. We’ve seen how this team responds to pressure and expectations. The White Sox winning could just add more pressure under which our squad will disentigrate. Not to mention Kerry’s tendons.
Looks like you read the headline and then posted. Nice work.
See, I get it.
I need to be pummeled on my big melon…repeatedly.
go to the sports guy’s links, check out the 2 minions fans
literally crying for the demolition of the big urinal cake.
it’s 2 minutes and 7 seconds of pure gold.
Please? Can’t find it.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/links/051025
under MONDAY, the second link. enjoy.
Thank you, hilarious…
I took a revolting dump before the game tonight. I saved the turds for fun.
Good times…
Oh shit! Houston wasn’t supposed to tie it up.
We’ve been linked from the Desipio message board for three days.
Wow. My identity’s been swiped (#61)
That’s a first.
I’m honored.
Some scat-for-brains actually has me on his radar?
Creepy times.
The only thing creepy is how your lingo continues to sound more like Dolan
(with a bit of Sloth-like foulness).
Why am I posting on Desipio?
Museum of Contemporary Art? That’s where I belong, I am a work of art.
I think Zeke Astacio is the REAL Jose Cruz Junior, as he looks like me.
Did anyone see what I said recently? Houston’s as racist a town as Chicago is.
I’m pretty funny.