DaBears - Chicago Bears Message Board and Fan Blog Site - Blogs http://www.dabears.com/blog.php Chicago Bears Fan Blog and Message Board en Wed, 22 May 2013 11:04:51 GMT vBulletin 60 http://dabears.com/images/misc/rss.jpg DaBears - Chicago Bears Message Board and Fan Blog Site - Blogs http://www.dabears.com/blog.php My players are too funny... http://www.dabears.com/entry.php?b=63 Tue, 06 Nov 2012 03:07:54 GMT So tonight was the Fall sports awards for the HS that I coach football at. My players went and got all of us coaches gift bags to show their... So tonight was the Fall sports awards for the HS that I coach football at. My players went and got all of us coaches gift bags to show their appreciation and in my bag was a Chicago Bears cap... I live in New England and the area is full of Patriot fans and I've maybe mentioned that I'm a Bears fan on a handful of occasions to maybe a handful of my players (over the course of a few years that is), although they've seen me in my leather Yankees jacket before... so the kids tell me when I open the bag that I remind them of an actual Bear and that's why they got me the Bears cap.

I love the cap, it's the traditional one, navy with the orange C on the front. So while the reasoning behind the cap is funny, it's going to be one of my favorite gifts for a long time. ]]> Warlock http://www.dabears.com/entry.php?b=63 <![CDATA[The Chicago Bears' Drive Toward Another World Championship]]> http://www.dabears.com/entry.php?b=61 Sat, 28 Jan 2012 09:27:58 GMT *Introduction: How the Bears Got Where They Are Now* On January 26, 1986, Bears fans across the fruited plain and around the globe celebrated...
Introduction: How the Bears Got Where They Are Now


On January 26, 1986, Bears fans across the fruited plain and around the globe celebrated the franchise's ninth World Championship with a resounding 46-10 win over the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl. The Bears had the look of being a team of dynastic proportions; in fact, according to Dick Enberg during the broadcast of Super Bowl XX, the average Chicago Bear player's age was 25.1 years old, the youngest in the league at the time. However, mismanagement on the part of the front office that began soon after the death of the franchise's founder, former head coach of forty years, and founding father of the NFL, George Halas, led to the denouement and ultimate malaise of the franchise that has had but few pleasant moments since that fateful season of 1985. Michael McCaskey won awards as the President of the Bears in 1985 for what other league executives and owners termed as exemplary leadership in a defining season, but he had merely stood on the shoulders of giants to achieve those means, and instead of perpetuating the greatness that the ignited fires from the 1983 draft, the turnaround season of 1984, and so on and so forth brought to the enjoyment and pleasure of football fans everywhere, he poured water over the flame, effectively extinguishing those fires over the course of approximately fifteen years until the death knell was struck. By 2001, the Chicago Bears were one of the very worst franchises in the NFL.

During the winter of 2001, Bears owner and mother to Michael McCaskey, Virginia Halas-McCaskey, fired her son as President and CEO of the franchise. Pops Ed McCaskey only had two more years left to live, and was never a real barn-burner in the decision making processes anyway. In place of Michael McCaskey, who had served in the three-headed snake role of Chairman/CEO, President, and de facto General Manager, came Ted Phillips, an accountant who would see to the team's financial security, as President, and Jerry Angelo, a talent scout for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, as General Manager. Between 2001 and 2011, the Bears experienced an increase in winning that was only upset by the number of mediocre seasons mixed in with them. During Jerry Angelo's tenure as Bears' GM, the team won four division titles, appeared in two conference championship games, and were NFC Champions on one occasion (2006). However, Angelo could never secure a consistency with the Bears befitting of the proud heritage that comes with being a charter franchise. In 2002, 03, 04, 07, and 09, the Bears lost more games than they won. In two other seasons, 2008 and 2011, the team finish with a .500 or better record, but fell short of expectations by failing to make the playoffs. After so many seasons of missed expectations and cries for his forced departure from his post from both Bears fans and the Chicago media, it was time to cut bait. In January of 2012, George McCaskey, brother of Michael McCaskey and new Chairman/CEO of the Bears, and Phillips decided to pull the plug on the Jerry Angelo experiment. Years of frustration pending from poor draft picks and even worse free agent signings that came to a head with the disastrous finish to the Bears' 2011 season proved to be too much for Angelo to keep his job, who was perceived by many in the media and in the fan base as being arrogant and pompous.

The Bears have been coached by Lovie Smith since 2004. Smith has been the franchise's most successful coach since the days of Mike Ditka, who stormed the sidelines in Chicago from 1982 through 1992. He often gets the notoriety of being a poor coach. If records bear anything out, Smith has posted a 71-57 record over the course of his career as the team's head coach, good for a .555 winning percentage, which signifies that he has enjoyed some success. He coached the Bears to three division titles (2005, 2006, 2011), two NFC Championship Games (2006, 2011), and a berth as the NFC Champions in Super Bowl XLI (2006). He has been a positive influence on this team if for no other reasons than the following: 1) He has always gotten the most out of the talent he has had since he has coached the team, and 2) He has the respect of his players; none other than Brian Urlacher has said that he would retire if Lovie Smith were to be fired. In the regular season, Smith has an even .500 record against the Green Bay Packers, who had dominated the Bears for years while Brett Favre quarterbacked the franchise to two Super Bowls and several divsion championships from the early 1990s through the early 2000s.



In approximately a week, the world will know who George McCaskey and Ted Phillips will hire as the new general manager. The media speculates that Phil Emery, the director of college scouting for the Kansas City Chiefs, will be favored for the position due to his wealth of experience with several different franchises. While this may or may not be the wisest decision on the part of the Bears' brass, he will no doubt be an upgrade from Jerry Angelo. He has had a hand in some good draft picks, ranging from Pro Bowlers Eric Berry, Jamaal Charles, Roddy White, Justin Blalock, and even the Bears' very own Lance Briggs. While he worked for Michael McCaskey and Jerry Angelo in the past, he was part of some of McCaskey's and Angelo's better drafts, and had a positive effect on the Atlanta Falcons' picks as well. Time will tell about Emery or his competition for the job, Jason Licht of the New England Patriots, as to how they would fare as GM of the Bears. We will know more after the Super Bowl when free agency begins and on April 26, when the NFL Draft commences.


What The Bears Need to Do to Upgrade their Roster


All of the above has to do with one simple question: what do the Chicago Bears have to do to return to the summit of the NFL? The road to a championship is steep and will have many hurdles, but the cupboard is not bare. There is still plenty of talent on this team from last year that, had injuries to QB Jay Cutler and RB Matt Forte not ended their seasons, the Bears would have easily made the playoffs, and quite possibly could have advanced past the first round. The 2011 edition of the Bears was a better team than the 2010 version when all the pieces were in order. The first thing this team needs is depth, and lots of it, particularly at QB, RB, and WR. Josh McCown played admirably for Cutler, but because offensive coordinator Mike Martz, who was ceremoniously forced into resigning at season's end, insisted on using Caleb Hanie to run his complex offense, the team lost two games that a competent quarterback would have otherwise won. At least two of those losses in the final six games of the season were avoidable (Kansas City and Denver). To top that, Johnny Knox sustained a serious back injury, and it is not known whether he will ever be back to playing again.

Most definitely, the Bears need to upgrade the following positions in precisely this order: LT, WR, DE, CB, and FS/SS. There are a number of combinations that one could conjure up to use to acquire these missing pieces to the puzzle. Most likely, LT will be addressed in the first round unless new offensive coordinator Mike Tice remains adamant about sticking with the inconsistent J'Marcus Webb. One school of thought has the Bears trading up to somewhere between picks 10-13 and aiming for Stanford LT Jonathan Martin, who would bring smarts to the position; another has the Bears sticking at their present slot at number nineteen and drafting Ohio State's Mike Adams, a 6'8", 320 pound monster of a man who is turning heads at the Senior Bowl practices. DE and CB are also areas that the Bears will look to the draft for answers, as likely the first round will probably be one where the Bears draft based on best player available. That player could be Adams, or a player like Whitney Mercilus or Melvin Ingram at DE, or even a Dre' Kirkpatrick should the Bears feel brave enough to deal with his being busted for illegal marijuana possession. The Bears might look for a S in the draft; depending on where he is projected to be drafted, FS Harrison Smith out of Notre Dame might fit into the Bears plans.

The consensus for many Bears fans on how to address the problems at WR and S is to look toward free agency, but some also would like the team to look for a DE through this method as well, though that is less likely to happen than it being addressed in the draft. The field of WR's is vast and rich with talent on the free agent market, with such notable Pro Bowlers as Vincent Jackson, Dwayne Bowe, and Marques Colston; one source reported from the Senior Bowl practices stated that the Bears might be interested in acquiring the services of Stevie Jackson, who posted back-to-back 1,000 yard receiving seasons in 2010 and 2011 for the Buffalo Bills. As for a DE, Cliff Avril of the Detroit Lions comes to mind, but the Lions might be reticent to just let an end go to a division rival who put up eleven sacks in 2011 in spearheading the defense's charge toward the team's first playoff appearance in eleven years. There are sure to be safeties out on the market, and the Bears may decide to sign one via free agency so that they have a veteran as part of that group rather than having a cast of strictly young players.


Conclusion

In the 1964 Presidential Election pitting incumbent Democratic President Lyndon Johnson against the founder of the new Conservative movement in Republican challenger and former Senator from Arizona, Barry Goldwater, failed actor and former Democratic Party member Ronald Reagan stumped for his friend Goldwater. Out of this came a watershed moment in the life of Reagan, who was in need of self-reinvention. His chosen field was politics, and he delivered a speech that was broadcasted nationwide beginning on October 27 called, "A Time for Choosing." In it, he spoke with warmth and dedication to his friend Goldwater, and his most famous statement in the speech was this line: "You and I have a rendezvous with destiny." Though Goldwater went on to be defeated by Johnson in a landslide, Reagan successfully reinvented his image to the public from one of blithe and jocund actor to his being approached to run as the Republican nominee for Governor of the State of California, thus beginning a political career that would span two decades and a two-term presidency.

In a weird, roundabout way, this, too, is a time for choosing for the Chicago Bears. The franchise has the opportunity to reach out and touch its destiny. Regardless of who is picked to take the job as general manager, he will inherit a tall set of tasks in order to secure the future fortunes of the team. If the team fails to choose wisely, it could be met with devastating consequences. This piece is merely a warning, not an endorsement. The new general manager must be more proactive about securing the needs of the team than was Jerry Angelo, and he must relate to the public in a more humble fashion, as if he were a statesman addressing his constituents in a state of the union address. He must embrace the proud traditions that come with being associated with the Chicago Bears, and he must realize that above all else, winning championships and defeating the Packers are paramount to both the welfare of the franchise as well as his job security. Ted Phillips is not immune from this topic of conversation, for word has it that he is on a short leash with George McCaskey. The Bears are closer than most might realize to returning back to the playoffs and contending for a championship, but the franchise leadership must choose this course of action.

The Bears, indeed, have a rendezvous with destiny. The only question that now remains is if they are willing to choose wisely and accept greatness, or fall further into the black hole created by men who failed to represent the golden standard "Papa Bear" envisioned some ninety-two years ago. ]]> Dagan81 http://www.dabears.com/entry.php?b=61 10,000 Reasons Why I Love This Place...... http://www.dabears.com/entry.php?b=57 Thu, 09 Jun 2011 20:59:06 GMT Well it took nearly 7 years since my registration date 10/14/04 to get to this point but I finally post whored my way into it this year, LOL. ... Well it took nearly 7 years since my registration date 10/14/04 to get to this point but I finally post whored my way into it this year, LOL.

I've seen this board grow from it's first 50 members or so to what it is now. The very best Chicago Bears fan site on the net. I'll never forget the day that Rick talked me into joining and shortly after becoming a moderator. With the exception of "Iron Mike" and his consorts it was an easier job in those days. Rick, my hats off to you for seeing the need for this site and for all the work you've put into it over the years. You have my undying gratitude and that of thousands of others. :drinking61:
I also want to say thanks to the staff for helping to keep this place as great as it is so here's to you guys; 4th, Benji, Mo, Loki, Bear Stuff, Kegger, BF51, BC, and anyone I may have overlooked, please forgive me! :drinking61:
And to all the rest of you whose day to day contributions make this the great site that it is. We may have our days when we disagree and sometimes anger and frustration over rule common sense (as Loki is quick to point out, lol) but I can honestly say that I would not rather be anyplace else than around the bunch of you. I think we've got the greatest bunch of Bears fans and the greatest place to discuss them in the world. Thanks to you all for making it that way. :drinking61:

And now here's to at least 10,000 more before I die or become senile, :lol-032:.

:guinness: ]]> soulman http://www.dabears.com/entry.php?b=57 Championships Missed: The Lost Years, Part 4 http://www.dabears.com/entry.php?b=56 Tue, 07 Jun 2011 09:24:49 GMT Championships Missed: The Lost Years, Part Four - The 1986-88 Seasons

by Jonathan Henderson, aka. "Dagan81"
30 May 2011


(The above title heading says it all. During the 1986 season, Jim McMahon was viciously taken down to the turf on his throwing shoulder by the Packers' Charles Martin, thus sustaining a season-ending shoulder separation. As a result of this blatant act of violence and hostility, Martin would be ejected from the contest and suspended for the next two games. The injury perhaps cost the Bears a chance at winning a second consecutive Super Bowl, as the defense in 1986 actually put up better numbers than did the one in 1985.)

Perhaps of all the disappointing seasons that were mentioned in the prior articles I wrote, none are more wrought with greater regret than the great Chicago teams of the mid-to-late 1980s. In this decade, America saw the reemergence of the Chicago Bears as a league powerhouse in much the same fashion as they were in the 1930s and 1940s. The Bears teams from 1963-1983 only saw three seasons in which the club managed to make the playoffs. These teams were often characterized by solid defenses, lead by the likes of Dick Butkus, Doug Atkins, Doug Buffone, Ed O'Bradovich, Ritchie Petitbon, Doug Plank, Dan Hampton, Steve McMichael, Gary Fencik, and later Mike Singletary, but lacked greatly on offense, with the only stars being Mike Ditka, Gale Sayers, and Walter Payton. The Bears traded away Atkins and Ditka after the 1966 season, while Gale Sayers suffered a career shortening knee injury in 1968 in a game against the San Francisco 49ers. Even more indicative of the Bears bad luck was losing the coin toss in the 1970 draft to the Pittsburgh Steelers for the right to pick first overall after Chicago had finished the season with a terrible 1-13 record. Had the Bears won the toss, it is very likely that they would have picked QB Terry Bradshaw with the number one overall pick out of Louisiana Tech University. However, in a big draft in 1983 that saw the Bears pick up such stalwart players as Jimbo Covert, Willie Gault, and Richard Dent, the Bears would bull rush their way back into the national spotlight. By 1984, Chicago would finish 10-6, win their first division championship in 21 years, and run all the way into the NFC Championship Game, where a more experienced San Francisco 49er team would bully the young Bears into a 23-0 defeat. The loss in the 1984's league championship game fueled Chicago's desire to be NFL Champions in 1985, as only the Miami Dolphins would get the better of these "Monsters of the Midway" on their way to triumph in Super Bowl XX. It looked like the Bears were on their way to a dynasty with such a young and talented team. They certainly had an aura of invincibility about them.

The 1986 Season

All seemed well during training camp in 1986, except that QB Jim McMahon reported to training camp at over 220 lbs as a result of excessive celebration from the Super Bowl championship. In the draft that year, the Bears made a steal with the pick of future Pro Bowl RB Neal Anderson with the final pick of the first round. He would come in handy some two years later when the great Walter Payton retired following the 1987 season.

In the 1986 opener on September 7, the Bears defeated the Cleveland Browns, 41-31, in a shootout in what was the first game in the history of the league to utilize instant replay. The initial usage went against the Bears, as Cleveland was awarded a touchdown. The following week saw former defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan bring his Philadelphia Eagles to town in an emotional game for the Bears. In what could not be expected as anything less than the norm between the once-Ryan led Bears and the current-Ryan coached Eagles, Chicago won, 13-10, in an overtime contest. Over the course of the next four weeks, the Bears bullied their opposition on their way to setting a record for fewest points in a 16 game schedule. Chicago had won their first 12 games in 1985, and had since won 12 more games without a defeat. Fans began to believe that their "beloveds" would run the table and finish the season with a perfect record. It was a false illusion, for the team lost a shocker in Minnesota, 20-7. Jim McMahon was injured again, and Steve Fuller proved to be inept at moving the team down the field.

After the Minnesota loss, McMahon was back, and wore black high-top shoes as a tribute to WR Ken Margerum, a good friend of his who had been released by the front office earlier in the week. The Bears then beat the Detroit Lions, 13-7, with another impressive defensive effort. The following week, the Bears would taste defeat again, as they would fall to the Los Angeles Rams on a late field goal, 20-17. No longer was there talk of an undefeated season, but rather now of whether or not the Bears would continue to lose more games.

After the two losses in three weeks, the Bears got back to what they had been doing best for the past two and a half seasons, and that was winning. Chicago made a trade with the Rams, sending Margerum to Los Angeles in return for QB Doug Flutie. While this proved to be controversial among the players on the team, it was hugely beneficial for the Bears, and a near-requirement with the oft-injured McMahon and Steve Fuller not being able to seriously play. On November 23rd, Green Bay rolled into the Windy City, looking for revenge after being defeated by the Bears twice in 1985. There was bad blood flowing between the two teams, which came to a head when Packers defensive lineman Charles Martin body slammed McMahon onto his throwing elbow. The injury separated McMahon's shoulder, and he would be lost for the rest of the season, along with hopes of returning to the Super Bowl.

The last four games in the regular season resulted in all Bear victories. Flutie, at 5'8" tall, was a "dwarf" by NFL QB standards, but he possessed a cannon for an arm. However, trying to teach him the ropes to the Bears' complex offense in a matter of a few weeks proved very costly, but the Bears still managed to hold on and win their remaining games, and that led them to a 14-2 mark, the number one seed out of the NFC, and a date with the conference's Wild Card team, the Washington Redskins.

The 1986 playoffs saw the Bears as heavy favorites to repeat as NFC Champions and thus make another run for the Super Bowl. However, the NFC Divisional Round versus the Washington Redskins, a team under the tutelage of coaching legend Joe Gibbs, would be where this great season's ride would end. Chicago entered the second half with a precarious 13-7 lead, but the Redskins would score 20 unanswered points, ten of which would come off Bear turnovers (the normally-reliable Walter Payton fumbled at the Washington 17 yard, which led to the Redskins scoring at touchdown on an 83 yard drive, while a muffed punt resulted in a 'Skins field goal). Washington QB Jay Schroeder shredded the Bears' blitz-happy, league-leading defense as he scrambled outside the pocket and completed passes. When the dust finally settled at Soldier Field, it saw the Redskins atop of the scoreboard by a final of 27-13. Washington would go on to play the New York Giants in the NFC Championship Game, only to lose in a defensive donnybrook. Meanwhile, the city of Chicago would take a nose dive into a feeling of depression, but most felt at that point that the dynasty would still be alive and kicking in 1987.

The 1987 Season

Entering the 1987 season, dark clouds were on the horizon. It appeared that there would be a strike, and so there would be one. In Platteville, WI, site of the Bears training camp back in '80s, the ever perpetuating question continued to pop up: would Jim McMahon play at all in 1987? The question lent itself to some serious explaining by the Chicago coaching staff, as the Bears had drafted quarterbacks in each of the previous two drafts and even took a quarterback in the first round of the 1987 draft (Jim Harbaugh). McMahon openly feuded with Ditka over this move.

The season opened with the Bears playing the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants on Monday Night Football. Third year QB Mike Tomczak got the call to start for Chicago as McMahon and Steve Fuller were injured, Doug Flutie had been traded, and Jim Harbaugh was, in essence, sitting out his "red shirt" year in order to be groomed for the position down the line. Where some people saw doom and gloom in regard to this game, the Bears were prepared to make the best of it, and did they ever: Tomczak completed 20 of 34 passes for 292 yards, while Dennis McKinnon returned a punt 94 yards for a touchdown that led Chicago to a 31-19 victory over New York. The following week saw the Bears handle division rival Tampa Bay 20-3 before the strike would cancel all of Week 3's games, which would have seen Chicago play the Detroit Lions.

"The Strike of 1987" would drive a wedge between players as well as between those players and coaches. The league pondered what to do, and unlike the strike in 1982, there would not be half a season canceled. Replacements players, often called around the locker room in Chicago as "scabs" or "spare Bears", would take the place of the real players. Coach Ditka made his feelings about the strike known when he referenced the replacements as "real players." This phrasing did not sit well with many regulars, and would be a wound that would be difficult to heal over time.

After three games, the strike ended. The Bears' replacements finished at an admirable 2-1 record. In finishing the regular season, the Bears would stage the franchise's greatest come-from-behind victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 27-26, after training the Bucs 20-0 at the half. The following week saw just as inspiring an effort in a 26-24 win at Green Bay, which saw Jim McMahon lead the Bears down the field with less than a minute remaining. Kevin Butler sealed the game with a 55-yard field goal kick and, in perhaps the best homage he could possibly pay to Forrest Gregg after all the cheap shots the Packers took at the Bears the previous three seasons, he "flipped the bird" at him as if to say, "Adios!" (Note: As a result of another losing season, Gregg would be fired as head coach of the Green Bay Packers.) The next week, the Bears lost a heartbreaker to the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football, followed by wins over Green Bay at home and the Minnesota Vikings on the road. At this point, the Bears were the owners of a 10-2 record with three games remaiing, but would struggle the rest of the way into the playoffs after a disastrous 41-0 shutout loss at San Francisco, in which Ditka threw his gum at a heckling fan that resulted in him being brought up on assault charges. The next week brought yet another defeat to the Bears in a 34-21 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Mercifully, the regular season ended with the Bears defeating the Los Angeles Raiders, 6-3.

The Bears had emerged as champions of the NFC Central Division for the fourth consecutive season, but limped its way into the playoffs after struggling down the home stretch. Their opponents in the first round would be none other than their nemesis who eliminated them the season before in the Divisional Round: Joe Gibbs' Washington Redskins. Unfortunately, the game would go no better this year than the previous season. Though the Bears led 14-0 at one point, Redskins QB Doug Williams would lead his team to yet another upset of the Bears in the playoffs.on the team's way to a 21-17 win, perhaps made more painful to Bears fans by Washington CB Darrell Green's 52 yard punt return for a touchdown that sealed the Bears' fate. Williams, it should be noted, would go on to become the first black quarterback to start and win a Super Bowl.

After the fact, fans were left dumbfounded. It seemed that the great ride of 1985 was fading further and further into the background of the rear view mirror.

The 1988 Season

From 1985 to 1987, the Chicago Bears were THE TEAMto beat. In those years, the Bears were picked to win the Super Bowl, and in 1985, they did just that. However, one issue or another would pop up to thwart the Bears' quest to become champions in 1986 and 1987, most notably issues at the quarterback position, a problem that had for decades plagued the legendary franchise. But there were other worries for the Bears of '88 to deal with - the loss of four Pro Bowlers to either retirement (Walter Payton and Gary Fencik), or free agency (Wilbur Marshall and Willie Gault). In the instance of Wilbur Marshall, at the time one of the Bears' All-Pro linebackers along with Mike Singletary, the Washington Redskins, with the deep wallets of owner Jack Kent Cook, offered him a five year deal worth $6 million dollars, which the Bears refused to match. With Gault, he opted out of his contract to go play in Los Angeles with the Raiders in order to pursue an acting career. Thus, with the Bears getting compensated for the players lost with draft picks for the next few seasons (for back in the 1980s, teams were compensated with draft picks if their players were lured away via free agency), they would set off on their quest to win big in '88 on the coat tails of the previous four consecutive division titles the franchise had won. However, few pundits were giving the Bears a shot at winning the title, much less making the playoffs.

Thus, the 1988 season would kickoff against the Miami Dolphins and their All-Pro QB Dan Marino, the felons who thrashed Chicago in Week 13 of the 1985 season and dealt the team its only defeat that year. The results could not be more different, nor could the Bears have scripted a reply to all of its naysayers in a more dramatic fashion, as Chicago crushed the 'Phins beneath a 34-7 avalanche in a game that saw the Bears lead 28-7 at the half. RB Neal Anderson, now in his third season as Bears RB, answered all questions about his ability to take over for the legendary Walter Payton by rushing for 123 yards and a touchdown. The following week, the Bears beat the Indianapolis Colts, but then dropped the ball against the Minnesota Vikings in a 31-7 blowout loss, the team's worst loss at Soldier Field in 13 years, which prompted fans to believe that perhaps the preseason predictions were true, that the Bears were on their way down. Mike Ditka reverberated his thoughts on the matter to the press by stating, "There's no question, we'll be lucky to make the Wild-Card this year." This would prove to be Ditka at his best in terms of reverse psychology, for the Bears would rally and win the next five games. In the final game of that streak, the Bears hosted the San Francisco 49ers and Joe Montana at Soldier Field. The game originally did not look as if it would go according to plan, for Montana led the the 49ers on an 88 yard opening drive for a touchdown. However, the Bears would rally, and would hold San Francisco to 125 total yards for the final 3.5 quarters of the game. Final score: Bears 10, 49ers 9.

As with all good things, they usually come to an end. So they did when the Bears played the New England Patriots, who were led by former Bear, Doug Flutie. On the first play of the game, Flutie hit WR Irving Friar on an 80 yard play that spelled doom for Chicago for the rest of the game. But worse than the defeat against the Pats was Mike Ditka suffering a heart attack following the game. Vince Tobin was appointed interim coach for the next week's game, but within 11 days, "Iron Mike" was back at it again, this time mellower than what he was normally accustomed to being in overseeing a slight measure of revenge from the previous two seasons' playoff losses as the Bears defeated the Washington Redskins, 34-14, on November 13. Perhaps some of the extinguished fire in Ditka led to a malaise of sorts in the intensity of the Bears, for they finished their final five games with a 3-2 record, including a heartbreaking loss that could have been avoided versus the Minnesota Vikings in the last game of the season. In that game, instead of running out the clock with Anderson, who had rushed for 122 yards on the day, Mike Tomczak, that game's starting QB in the place of an ever-ailing Jim McMahon, threw a short screen pass that was intercepted and returned 94 yards for the game-winning touchdown by Walker Lee Ashley. Still, the Bears were division champions, and would get home field advantage throughout the playoffs.

The setting of the 1988 Divisional Playoffs, of course, would be Soldier Field, on New Years Eve of '88. The opponent? The Philadelphia Eagles, who were coached by former Bears defensive coordinator under Ditka from 1982-1985, Buddy Ryan. This was the third meeting between the two men, who openly despised each other and never minced words with regards to one another. This game would go on to be one of the most iconic games in the history of the Chicago Bears, for the game, which saw temperatures in the 30s throughout, was played through a very thick fog that would blanket the field and cause all sorts of visual difficulties throughout the game. The Bears led 17-9 at the half when the fog blew over Soldier Field, and that is when most all offense save for two field goals, one for each team, ceased. In the end, however, Chicago would prevail, 20-12, and it would be on to the NFC Championship Game for the third time in five seasons. Awaiting them were the upstart San Francisco 49ers, whom the Bears had defeated earlier in the season (See above).

The NFC Championship Game would be far more frigid than what was experienced in the Divisional Playoff game, but the visualization would be perfect. That being said, perhaps the Bears could have wished for another fog to overtake Soldier Field on this day, because their patented hardcore defense could do next to nothing to solve the 49ers offensive attack. Save for a field goal in the 2nd Quarter, the offense could generate nothing. Prior to the game, Mike Ditka opted to go with the experienced Jim McMahon as his quarterback instead of Mike Tomczak, who had won the Eagles game in the Divisional Round. That mistake proved costly, as the 49ers were the beneficiaries of one touchdown in every quarter of play and played perfect defense in routing Chicago by a score of 28-3. Once again, the Bears championship hopes were dashed by a Hall of Fame coaching legend, this time in Bill Walsh, who had gotten the best of the Bears in the 1984 NFC Championship Game. The 49ers would go on to win Super Bowl XXIII on a late touchdown from Joe Montana to Jerry Rice against the Cincinnati Bengals. Meanwhile, the Bears would fall to 6-10 in 1989 and fail to make the playoffs for the first time in seven seasons. They would win another division title in 1990, win a Wild Card playoff 16-6 over the stalwart defensive unit of the New Orleans Saints, but would be bludgeoned against the Giants in the Divisional Round. 1991 would be the last time "Da Coach" would lead the Bears to the playoffs as he would be fire the very next season.

Conclusion

The Bears are one of the most storied franchises in the history of the NFL and in North American sports, so it comes as no surprise to anyone that when their failures are brought up for discussion, they are just as epic as the franchise's triumphs. The Bears won five consecutive division titles in the 1980s, but only brought home "the bacon" once - that time being the fabled 1985 season that for those who are old enough to recall it, do so with a big smile and with visions of "The Chicago Bears Shufflin' Crew" bringing down the house, while those of us who were too young, read and hear stories about that season as if it were one of Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tales. What doomed the Bears in 1986, 1987, and 1988 was their lack of offense, which was caused by that position, that culprit, that Bears fans since the 1950s had long known about as being the downfall of their team: the quarterback position. Jim McMahon, for all of his success in 1985, could never duplicate that success in future seasons, as he battled injury after injury. The Bears tried trading for, or drafting, more quarterbacks - Doug Flutie, Mike Tomczak, and Jim Harbaugh, for example - but nothing ever stuck. The 1988 team, for example, only scored on average 19.5 points per game, which is only a little better than what the 2005 NFC North Division Championship team produced.

As I said at the beginning of the article, this stretch of seasons is probably the most difficult and frustrating to swallow for Bears fans who yearn for that elusive 10th World Championship that would put it in the company of such legendary franchises as the New York Yankees, the Boston Celtics, the Los Angeles Lakers, the St. Louis Cardinals, the Montreal Canadiens, the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Detroit Red Wings, and yes, the hated Green Bay Packers, as one of a select number of North American franchises with at least 10 league championships. The Bears came close to pulling it off one time since 1985 - in 2006, when they appeared in Super Bowl XLI - but were handily beaten by a better-prepared Indianapolis Colts team. The Bears just last season returned to the NFC Championship Game, but were defeated by arch rival Green Bay, who would go on to add to their collection of NFL titles and extending their lead over the Bears. The Bears, meanwhile, have drafted well and have a chance to win big in 2011 provided that there is a football season with the lockout in place. Until the next football season begins, Bears fans will be forced to feed off the left over energy of that shooting star that was the team and the aura of the 1985 season, as the rest of the 1980s and early 1990s failed to quench Chicago fans' thirst.

Tune in later, as I examine the 2006 team that went all the way to Super Bowl, only to fumble and stumble opportunities to cash in on the big stage. ]]> Dagan81 http://www.dabears.com/entry.php?b=56 We Should Embrace Lovie Smith, Jerry Angelo http://www.dabears.com/entry.php?b=51 Tue, 22 Feb 2011 03:14:21 GMT *We Should Embrace Lovie Smith, Jerry Angelo * Image:... We Should Embrace Lovie Smith, Jerry Angelo



(Above: Lovie Smith, head coach of the Chicago Bears; Below: Jerry Angelo, GM of the Chicago Bears)

Ever since I have been a contributing member of DaBears.com, I have noticed a growing trend in several of the members of this site. Many people who are key contributors to the forums believe that the Chicago Bears are in dire straits because of a lack of a good foundation that starts at the head coaching and general manager positions. Those positions are held by Lovie Smith, who has been the head coach since 2004, and Jerry Angelo, who has been the GM since 2001 . Coach Smith was brought here with two things in mind to achieve: to get us to a Super Bowl, and to reignite Chicago's fire in the long-running rivalry against the Packers. So far, those missions have been accomplished; in seven seasons, the Lovie Smith led Bears have been to one Super Bowl (Super Bowl XLI), and have amassed a record of 8-7 against the typically competitive Green Bay Packers, who had previously won 21 out of 24 contests during the bulk of the Brett Favre era. Yet, despite these results, and because the Bears experienced a three year period of mediocrity between the Super Bowl appearance of 2006 and this season's NFC Championship Game berth, some of the fans on this site continue to castigate and deliver harangues regarding his and, to at least an equal extent, general manager Jerry Angelo's, job performances. One poster on the site started a thread saying that he is ashamed of being a Bears fan in a knee jerk reaction to Chicago's loss to the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship Game. This behavior is disturbing, disgusting, and in my opinion, unforgivable.

I, for one, will never look upon this team with any degree of shame or ill-will. The Bears created a foundation upon which to build for next season's greater successes. We won the NFC North Division title, and made it back to the NFC Championship Game for the first time in four years. Could the season have gone better? There were perhaps three games in the regular season that the Bears threw away because of poor execution from the offensive line as well as poor playcalling from Mike Martz (Seattle, Washington, and Green Bay #2). If the Bears had won those games knowing about them what is known now, they would have finished with a sterling 14-2 record, and would have probably hosted the either the New York Giants or the Philadelphia Eagles in the Divisional Round. More over, the Bears would have been the #1 overall seed in the NFC, and who in the media would have dared criticize the team to the point of bordering on persecution? Sure, they would have been grilled over the losses to the Giants and the Patriots, but that is the life of the professional Monday Morning Quarterback. Still, we should remember what a ride this season was before losing all faith in the team.

What people do not realize is that in seven seasons, with less than an abundance of quality talent at the skill positions, Coach Smith has managed to guide the Bears to four winning records, three NFC North Division titles, two NFC Championship Game appearances, and a berth in Super Bowl XLI. In 2004, he inherited all the bad apples from the Dick Jauron regime and finished with a paltry 5-11 record. Out of that came a decent draft by Jerry Angelo, and the Bears finished with big seasons the next two years, though they still never had the big offenses that other successful teams in the playoffs enjoyed. In 2006, with arguably the worst starting quarterback in the league and in the history of the Super Bowl at the helm in Rex Grossman, Coach Smith led the Bears to the NFC Championship on the legs of his two stud runningbacks and the league's top defense and special teams. Though they lost in the Super Bowl, it was the most successful season the Bears had enjoyed since 1985, when the franchise won its only Super Bowl under coach Mike Ditka. With all of those things taken into consideration, we should give thanks and praise to Lovie Smith for all that we have enjoyed over the years.

Times were tough the following three seasons. Records of 7-9 (2007), 9-7 (2008), and 7-9 (2009) raised the ire of Bears fans all over the nation. Heck, even I questioned whether Lovie had lost his intensity since earning the huge pay raise in the days and weeks following Super Bowl XLI. However, one thing always redirected my mode of thinking when I thought of what Lovie Smith was as a coach: he could have Bob Babich and Ron Turner calling plays all he wanted, but the Bears defense and offense were only going to be as successful as the players' talent levels warranted. Finally, in 2009, Jerry Angelo decided to become more proactive in his dealing with the team, and he traded two years worth of 1st Round picks and QB Kyle Orton for the talented-but-raw Jay Cutler. Though Cutler struggled in his first season in Chicago, averaging an interception with every touchdown pass (26 TDs to 26 INTs), I never lost faith in the team, because I knew that he needed to get comfortable in an offensive scheme. When Angelo signed Julius Peppers, Chester Taylor, and Brandon Manumaleuna, it was a sign that the organization was committed to moving forward with building a team that would eventually compete to play in Super Bowls. When Lovie Smith and the front office conferred over the past two seasons to sign three coaches who were not only strong assistant coaches, but also were former head coaches (Rod Marinelli, Mike Martz, and Mike Tice), it was another indicator that this team did not intend to sit by idly and lose to the extent that they did from 1992-2004. All of this beared fruit in 2010; Chicago won its first division title in four years, and were a Caleb Hanie "pick-6" to B.J. Raji away from possibly winning the NFC Championship Game with a 17-14 score, should the Bears have driven the length of the field at the end of the game without faltering.

Know this: I fully expect that Jerry Angelo will make some big moves this offseason. He will get either a big 1st Round draft pick or a couple of big free agents to beef up the weak areas of this team. I fully expect that he will go after Logan Mankins and possibly even Nnamdi Asomugha if the price is well-within our range. I think he will confer more with Mike Martz, Mike Tice, and Rod Marinelli on the big positions that we need, and I think he will coordinate his efforts with Tim Ruskell on matters with the offensive line as well. Jerry Angelo and Lovie Smith are on the cusp of building some very strong teams here for the future if they maintain this kind of focus and intensity in the offseason. They cannot afford to be cheap in signing free agents when it is warranted, and they must do a better job in drafting players at skill positions on offense and defense in the higher rounds. If we do all of this, and I don't see why the precedent of being proactive will fade away from the levels we've seen over the past two offseasons this Spring and Summer, and provided that the creeks don't rise and we have a lock-out instead of business as usual, then I see no reason for us to not be back challenging the favored Packers for the division title next season.

All is not lost, people. You have to have faith in your team, else you are like the majority of University of Tennessee football fans are here in Knoxville when things are not going well: you become a fair-weathered fan. I cannot stand fair- weathered fans. Having faith in your team means having faith in Lovie Smith as your coach. He is the main reason we have won more often than not over the past six seasons. He is the tie that binds. To use a popular cliche thrown out by Baseball Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson, Coach Smith is "the straw that stirs the drink." While Jerry Angelo is in no way a perfect general manager - his track record for drafting quality talent in the first few rounds is putrid to say the least - what talent he has managed to amass in his time as the Bears' GM, especially in the lower rounds, is no doubt impressive. He has made deals the past two years that have taken the Bears light years ahead of where they were from 2007-09, when the team was aging. To doubt that Jerry Angelo does not have the team's best interests at heart is a blatant act of tomfoolery. Keep in mind that all of these teams the Bears have produced that won division and conference championships in recent years were part of Angelo's careful planning. I do not mean to echo the voice of Larry Mayer as I write this. ]]> Dagan81 http://www.dabears.com/entry.php?b=51 Richard Dent for the Hall of Fame http://www.dabears.com/entry.php?b=50 Thu, 03 Feb 2011 23:15:44 GMT

Let me start of by saying that it's a crime that he isn't in the Hall of Fame already. I was so sure he would of made it in a few years ago, but was snubbed. I will never understand why Andre Tippet was voted in before Richard Dent. In the Super Bowl that Tippet did play in was against the Bears and Dent was the MVP for that game. Anyways, enough of that rant. Here's hoping that none of my stats are off.


Here's Richard Dent's Resume to the Hall of Fame:

8th Round Draft Pick (203rd overall)

Years with the Bears 1983-1993, 1995


Stats:

Sacks: 137.5 sacks (124.5 sacks with the Bears)

Interceptions: 8

Touchdowns: 1

Tackles: 671 (641 with the Bears) Source: Pro Football Reference

Forced Fumbles: 37 (34 with Bears) Source: Pro Football Reference


Sacks, Interceptions, and Touchdowns are from NFL.com - Richard Dent


Awards:

4× Pro Bowl selection (1984, 1985, 1990, 1993)

2× First-Team All-Pro selection (1984, 1985)

2× Second-Team All-Pro selection (1988, 1990)

5× All-NFC selection (1984, 1985, 1988, 1990, 1993)

2× Super Bowl champion (XX, XXIX)

Super Bowl XX MVP


Source for Awards: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Dent



Taken from Wikipedia. Great summary of his 1985 season.


In the 1985 season, Dent and the Bears had one of the most spectacular seasons in NFL history, finishing the season with a 15-1 record and shutting out both their opponents in the playoffs. Dent was a major factor in Chicago's success, leading the NFL with 17 sacks, while recovering 2 fumbles and intercepting 2 passes (1 of which was returned for a touchdown).


In the 1985 playoffs, Dent was phenomenal, performing in what was quite possibly the most impressive defensive post-season performance in history. In the divisional playoff game in which the Bears hosted the New York Giants, Dent had one of the most dominant playoff performances in history. In the game, he recorded 7 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles. In the NFC Championship Game, Dent, along with teammate Wilber Marshall, provided one of the most memorable playoff moments in history. It was late in the 4th quarter and it had just started to snow.


Quarterback Dieter Brock dropped back to pass, but Dent got there and sacked him, knocking the ball loose. Marshall picked up the loose ball and returned it for a touchdown, a moment that was said to be a perfect end to the Bears' season (at home) and others say that the snow was "Papa Bear" George Halas giving his thumbs-up to the team.


When the Bears went on to defeat the New England Patriots in 46-10 landslide in Super Bowl XX, Dent was selected as the game's MVP. During the game, he shared 2 sacks, forced 2 fumbles, and blocked a pass. Dent made a mere $90,000 in base salary for his efforts in 1985. ($173,000 in 2007 dollars) He was a featured soloist of the "Shuffling Crew" in the video The Super Bowl Shuffle in 1985.


Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Dent



I am not too confident about this year, mainly because the Bears aren't going to the show. I just have this suspicion that most of the voters are just haters. That's the only reason I can come up with. He was one of the best defensive ends in the game when he played. That's not an opinion, that's a fact. I would like to send a letter to each of the voters for the hall of fame to let them know that they have been committing a crime every year Richard Dent is not in the Hall. ]]> gammabears http://www.dabears.com/entry.php?b=50 Happy Birthday Dick Butkus http://www.dabears.com/entry.php?b=48 Thu, 09 Dec 2010 15:41:36 GMT There are many reasons why I am a Bears fan. Afterall, our team is the founding team of the NFL. I also believe the Superbowl trophy should be called... There are many reasons why I am a Bears fan. Afterall, our team is the founding team of the NFL. I also believe the Superbowl trophy should be called the Halas trophy, but that's an argument for a different day. This team is so rich in history, from it's creation in 1920, to the record breaking skills of Devin Hester today, it's truly an honor and a gift to root for this team. Not many people can say they've had players like Payton or Butkus play on their team. How lucky we are as Bear fans to say we did? So on this day, the birthday of a living legend, I wanted to share an email I sent to Dick, via his website, http://www.dickbutkus.com/ :

Dear Dick,

I just wanted to take a second to sing your praises. You are my favorite
player of all time. When I think of the Chicago Bears, I think of you. You
represent the hard-nose, ass kicking attitude that makes me so proud to be a
Bears fan. I wish that more of our players today played with such tenacity
as you displayed over your whole career. Through your numerous knee
injuries you still dominated and made your city proud.

I am the proud owner of your jersey and wear it with pride every Sunday.

I know you have had your share of fan mail, but I thought I would send
something your way that would bring you a fraction of the joy that you have
brought me through out the years.

I am so happy that you have provided this website for you fans. Yet another
great move!

All the best to you and your family.

Dick's response:

Thank you for the kind words. It's fans like you that made my career so memorable. Please stay well and GO BEARS!

Dick Bukus



Thought I would share. As one highlight video put it best: His 9 year career stands apart as the single most sustained work of devestation ever committed on a football field by anyone, anywhere, anytime. ]]> BigClaws http://www.dabears.com/entry.php?b=48 non-superfans week 13 http://www.dabears.com/entry.php?b=47 Tue, 07 Dec 2010 16:19:00 GMT I wasn’t able to watch the Bears game this week, as I was @ my niece’s birthday party (in WI, ugh!) I’m glad that they kept pace on the Pack, but it... I wasn’t able to watch the Bears game this week, as I was @ my niece’s birthday party (in WI, ugh!) I’m glad that they kept pace on the Pack, but it sounds as though it was a second-half effort. We face a Pats team that just steamrolled their division rivals this week, and I’m hoping that traveling on a short week affects them. On to imaginary news:

Riczaj v. Boocheeman
Riczaj had a tough week, as Miami sold out to stop Peyton Hillis, and the Bears relied on their running game, at the expense of Johnny Knox. Danny Woodhead and Jonathan Stewart broke double digits. Boochee had solid lines out of Shady McCoy and Reggie Wayne, scoring 25 and 26 respectively. Jamaal Charles scored 13, and Kevin Kolb still didn’t play.
Riczaj—64 Boochee—85

Globe Of Frogs v. BearfanMike
Globe got 19 out of MJD, and 14 out of Phillip Rivers, while Dwayne Bowe was shut down by Denver. BFM had a good DEF performance from MIN, but Cassel struggled (12), and Ryan Torain is still hurt.
Globe –73 BFM—63

Papabear v. Hammer Of The Gods
Derek jumped out to an early lead with 16 out of Schaub on Thursday night. His RBs kept him rolling, combining for 40, and Anquon Boldin added 17. Hammer’s QB, Peyton, still put up decent numbers despite his current woes, kicking in 18. Giants D added 20, and Vernon Davis added another 18. Hammer had to make up points on Monday night, and Green-Ellis did what he could with nearly 20, but Hammer fell .72 short. Derek gets a tight win.
Papabear—99 Hammer—98

Norman v. Nick
Norman is our league’s hottest team, on a 5-game win streak. Aaron Rodgers earned 27, and Andre Johnson got 15. Cleveland’s DEF scored well in a tight game vs. Miami. Nick had Michael Turner score 14, but Fitzgerald and Eli struggled. Nick had 4 goose-eggs on hurt players. Norman has a big matchup with Bigwill this week, and could sneak into the playoffs with a win, after starting the season in the cellar.
Norman—89 Nick—35

Menacemanic v. Bigwill
Menace got a useful line out of Drew Brees (19), and Calvin Johnson scored a TD (boo!) for 12. Michael Bush surprised with 95 yds and a TD against SD. Bigwill suffered through Kyle Orton’s worst performance of the season (.68). He got good days from his RBs (Steven Jackson 17, Thomas Jones 10), but having only 1 WR active (DeSean Jackson, 8) ultimately hurt him.
Menace—70 Bigwill—56

Koko v. American Pitbull
In a battle for first place, Pitbull jumped out early with Michael Vick scoring 27 to Arian Foster’s 22. Pitbull got 16 out of Ced Benson, and 13 from Gates. Seattle’s DEF even kicked in a respectable 12. koko had pretty much everybody but Shiancoe doing endzone dances, as AP scored 3TD, Jennings scored 2TD, TO and Wes Welker scored 1TD, and Tom Brady just abused the Jets for 4.
Koko—144 Pitbull—97

Koko takes over the #1 spot by ½ game and 96 overall points, and clinches a playoff berth. Pitbull clinched last week, and is in. Bigwill (8-5), Globe Of Frogs (7-5-1), and Norman (7-6) are all in the hunt.

Next Week’s Matchups:
American Pitbull v. Nick
Riczaj v. BearfanMike
Globe Of Frogs v. Hammer Of The Gods
Norman v. Bigwill (w/ playoff implications)
Papabear v. Menace
Koko v. Boochee

See you all on DBS! ]]> kokobear http://www.dabears.com/entry.php?b=47 non-superfans week 12 http://www.dabears.com/entry.php?b=46 Tue, 30 Nov 2010 19:46:45 GMT The Bears D held the Iggles in the red zone this weekend, the offense is beginning to look dangerous, and another fine performance by special teams. ... The Bears D held the Iggles in the red zone this weekend, the offense is beginning to look dangerous, and another fine performance by special teams. Yet another solid game by all phases of the team. Good to see our beloved hitting on all cylinders as we head into the playoff run! And now for the imaginary game:

Riczaj v. American Pitbull
Mike Wallace, Roddy White, and Ced Benson were all held in check this week, and it looked as though Riczaj may pull off an upset over Pitbull. At the end of the afternoon games, Pitbull was clinging to a 12 pt. lead, and Riczaj had Vincent Jackson and Frank Gore left to go. V-Jax left the Sunday Night game after 2 plays and no line. Frank Gore racked up 52 yards before he broke his hip (All you kids get off of my lawn!) That left Riczaj 7 points short.
Riczaj—75 Pitbull—82

Frogs v. Boochee
Dwayne Bowe led Globe Of Frogs in scoring with his 3 TDs, and Nate Kaeding added another 20 for the highest score of the week. All of Boocheeman’s players, except for Reggie Wayne and Randy Moss scored double digits. Boochee is still playing Kevin Kolb, even though Philly isn’t.
Globe Of Frogs—113 Boocheeman—86

Papabear v. BearfanMike
Ryan Torain got a goose-egg for BFM, but Dez Bryant did him one better with a fumble for negative 1.5 points. Matt Cassel was the big difference in this matchup w/ 233 and 4 TDs.
Papbear—66 BFM—86

Bigwill v. Hammer
Bigwill took zeroes from Steve Smith (NYG) and Demaryus Thomas, neither of whom played. CJ2K had a horrible day w/ 7 rushes for 5 yards (I feel your pain, as I have him in another league), and Lee Evans fumbled his one 9 yd. catch for negative points. Will has let his team slide, yet is tied for 2nd overall.
Bigwill—75 Hammer—62

Menace v. Norman
Menace got solid days from his WRs, and an exceptional day from NYJ DEF. Norman, who was bemoaning his RBs, had them combine for 38 points this week. Add in a big day for Aaron Rodgers (in a loss!), and a decent line from Andre Johnson in a fight-shortened performance, and you’ve got Norman’s fourth straight victory! Norman is clawing his way back into contention.
Menace—88 Norman—101

Koko v. Nick
Koko had an easy win over Nick’s IR squad. Brady, Welker, and Arian Foster each broke 20+, which more than made up for Rob Bironas’ 0. Nick scored w/ San Diego’s DEF, Eli Manning, and Michael Turner, but as the rest of his team is broken, it wasn’t enough.
Koko—110 Nick—62

Pitbull retains his half game lead, and Bigwill and koko are tied for second. Globe Of Frogs has a ½ game lead for the final playoff spot over a 3-way tie for 5th.

Next Week’s Matchups:
Riczaj v. Boocheeman
Globe Of Frogs v. BearfanMike
Papabear v. Hammer Of The Gods
Norman v. Nick
Menacemanic v. Bigwill
Koko v. American Pitbull

See you all on DBS! ]]> kokobear http://www.dabears.com/entry.php?b=46 non-superfans week 11 http://www.dabears.com/entry.php?b=45 Tue, 23 Nov 2010 18:16:14 GMT Odd weekend w/ DaBears playing on Thursday night. Happily, the shutout really helped my fantasy team! Bear Down, Boys! We had a tie this week,... Odd weekend w/ DaBears playing on Thursday night. Happily, the shutout really helped my fantasy team! Bear Down, Boys!

We had a tie this week, which is something I’ve never seen in a league w/ fractional points. It allowed Pitbull to keep his overall lead by ½ a game.

American Pitbull v. Globe Of Frogs
As I mentioned, this game ended in an exact tie. Vick didn’t put up the huge line that he has the past couple of weeks, and Globe needed Philip Rivers and Nate Keading to put up 16 more points than Brandon Lloyd to come back. He had it until Lloyd scored a late (and pointless) TD. Rivers scrapped for a few more points and Globe led by .20 points. Rivers final kneeldowns were a loss of 1 yard each, and ended up in a perfect tie! I’ll be interested to see if Yahoo! has any stat corrections to throw this game either way.
Pitbull—113.02 Frogs—113.02!

Papabear v. Boocheeman
This was a game of ups and downs. Derek got off to a strong start with Forte scoring 16 on Thursday. Baltimore’s DEF got 23 in a strong showing, and Palmer also got 16. Ahmad Bradshaw was his down, scoring -1.6 Boocheeman got a big line from his RBs, w/ McCoy getting 20 and Jamaal Charles with 12. Reggie Wayne scored 16, and David Akers got 13. His downs were Kolb, who didn’t play, and Randy Moss who hasn’t gotten into the Titans gameplan, yet.
Papabear—80 Boocheeman—73

Bigwill v. Bearfanmike
Will got a useful night out of Orton, and Thomas Jones and Pittsburgh’s DEF each got him 19. Dan Carpenter was held out of field goal range by Chicago, and blanked him. BFM scored well with Matt Cassel, Braylon Edwards, and Jeremy Maclin. Unfortunately, Ryan Torain was a scratch, and that cost him the week.
Bigwill—71 BearfanMike—65

Norman v. Hammer Of The Gods
After his slow start, Norman is finally getting his groove on! He put up the biggest line of the week @ 132. He is fishing for RBs, but his RBs put up 44 this week. Add in Rodgers’ 31, Santonio Holmes’ 24, and Santana Moss’ 14, and he had a BIG week. Hammer got 28 ut of Peyton, and 39 out of his RBs. Steve Johnson had a big day in his comeback victory, but bad days from Vernon Davis and Manningham negated his gains.
Norman—132 Hammer—118

Menace v. Nick
In a matchup of largely abandoned teams, Menace got 10 each from Megatron and LT. Gould got him 13. Nick got 15 from Fitzgerald, and 18 from Turner.
Menace—40 Nick—63

Koko v. Riczaj
In a game between 2 evenly matched teams, both were looking for a share of first place. Riczaj got 20 out of Peyton Hillis, and 14 out of Josh Freeman. Philly D got him 11. koko’s underperforming WR corps finally got going with TDs from all 3 WRs (Jennings got 3!) Arian Foster scored 22, and DaBears D got him 18 in the shutout in Miami. It was too much for Riczaj to overcome, and koko gets the big win.
Koko—131 Riczaj—81

Pitbull keeps his overall lead by ½ game, but koko is hot on his heels with more overall points.

Next Week’s Matchups:
Riczaj v. Pitbull
Frogs v. Boochee
Papabear v. BearfanMike
Bigwill v. Hammer
Menace v. Norman
Koko v. Nick


See you all on DBS! ]]> kokobear http://www.dabears.com/entry.php?b=45 would it be nice http://www.dabears.com/entry.php?b=44 Sun, 21 Nov 2010 02:16:25 GMT If we had an o-line, run to soften the pass, but yet agian Jay is being sacked all the time. If we had an o-line, run to soften the pass, but yet agian Jay is being sacked all the time. ]]> sweetness http://www.dabears.com/entry.php?b=44 non-superfans week 10 http://www.dabears.com/entry.php?b=43 Tue, 16 Nov 2010 15:14:10 GMT Week 10! Da Bears stepped up with a solid performance in all 3 phases of the game to put the Vikings (and old man Favre) to bed for the 2010 season!... Week 10! Da Bears stepped up with a solid performance in all 3 phases of the game to put the Vikings (and old man Favre) to bed for the 2010 season! Bear Down, boys! Well Done! Here’s what happened in imagination land!

Nick v. Riczaj
With 3 guys on IR, and 2 on bye, Nick couldn’t expect much scoring. Eli put up 22, Fitzy put up 11, and Nicks did 8. Riczaj led the way with Frank Gore (21), and Josh Freeman, Peyton Hillis, Kellen Winslow, and Philly’s D all broke double digits.
Nick—45 Riczaj—98

Papabear v. American Pitbull
Poor Derek again had a decent day, as Matt Schaub and Knowshon Moreno each averaged 20. Percy Harvin, Boldin, and Bradshaw each contributed double digits as well. But the story of this match-up was Michael Vick. Vick exploded for 49 points (the most I’ve ever seen a QB score in 6 years of fantasy). Riczaj blew the rest of the field away with that large line, and ALL of his WR’s got 2 TDs! Ooof! Vick’s Pits looks unstoppable!
Papabear—99 American Pitbull—166

Bigwill v. Boocheeman
Will kept himself relevant with a win over Boocheeman to go 6-4. Will hit with Kyle Orton, DeSean Jackson, and Steven Jackson. Boochee got double digits from Hester, McCoy, and Jamaal Charles, but took a hit from Kolb in junk time, scoring -.10
Bigwill—83 Boocheeman—69

Norman v. BearfanMike
Norman’s early season depth chart moves paid off this week, with Roethlisberger and Santonio Holmes combined for 40 points. Norman picked them up in September, and stashed them until their respective suspensions ended. He took a lot of losses early, but he is slowly crawling back into contention. Bearfanmike got 31 from Cassel, and 15 from Maclin, but Torain didn’t play this week, despite being active, and Janikowski was on bye.
Norman—89 Bearfanmike—73

Menacemanic v. Hammer Of The Gods
Hammer makes a comeback this week, as his RBs got the call on the ground. CJ2K got 18, and The Law Firm got 12. Manningham got 91 and a TD. Menace cashed in on Calvin Johnson, but Joseph Addai still didn’t play, and Kerry Collins didn’t finish.
Menace—64 Hammer—83

koko v. Globe Of Frogs
Tom Brady finally showed some flash this week for koko, but his RBs came up small. (Never play a RB vs. Bears run D! Lesson Learned!) But, koko also had the Bears D, which paid off well. Despite 2 garbage-time TD from Dwayne Bowe, koko had an 11-point lead going into MNF. But Donovan McNabb did JUST enough in a drubbing to edge Globe Of Frogs past koko for the win.
Koko—99 Globe—103

Next Week’s Matchups:
American Pitbull v. Globe Of Frogs
Papabear v. Boocheeman
Bigwill v. Bearfanmike
Norman v. Hammer Of The Gods
Menace v. Nick
Koko v. Riczaj

See you all on DBS!
]]> kokobear http://www.dabears.com/entry.php?b=43 Favre article written by life-long Bears fan http://www.dabears.com/entry.php?b=42 Sat, 13 Nov 2010 21:34:16 GMT Hi,
I've been registered here for awhile. I haven't posted much lately, because I got a gig writing for SB Nation Chicago. I know it's lame to pimp my work here, but I'd like to think that there's an audience for stories about the NFL, from a uniquely Chicago point of view.

Check out this article on Favre, or some of the others. I've been doing a lot of stuff about the 'hard-hits' and what I believe is what's really behind it. I'd like some honest feedback. I can take it.

Thanks,
Don Hamel

http://chicago.sbnation.com/chicago-...o-jenn-sterger ]]> BearDon http://www.dabears.com/entry.php?b=42 non-superfans week 9 http://www.dabears.com/entry.php?b=41 Tue, 09 Nov 2010 14:28:26 GMT After much huffing and wheelslip, the Bears get back on track w/ a win over Buffalo in Toronto. Izzy returns to his home country! Big weekend in... After much huffing and wheelslip, the Bears get back on track w/ a win over Buffalo in Toronto. Izzy returns to his home country! Big weekend in fantasy, here’s the details!

Hammer of the Gods v. Nick
Nick continues to roll with his week 1 line-up, IR be damned. He’s down to only 4 stud scorers, Eli, Hakim, Fitzgerald, and Turner…but they are serving him well. He just beat our #1 drafter (CJ2K on bye), and rolls to 5-4. Brandon Jackson was a good plug-n-play for Hammer, but Roy Williams only got 6 yards. Boy, those Cowboys are fantasy poison! Hammer falls to 4-5.
Hammer—73 Nick—80

Globe Of Frogs v. Riczaj
Globe looked like the favorite early, with Philip Rivers, Aaron Hernandez (2TDs) and the Saints DEF (DEF TD) leading the way, but then he stalled out, with Chad 8-5 and Miles Austin going for 15 & 16 yard totals, respectively. Did I mention Dallas poison? Riczaj answered back with 30 points out of Peyton Hillis, and 28 (!) out of Packers DEF. Josh Freeman had another credible day w/ 16.
Globe Of Frogs—100 Riczaj—106

Bigwill v. American Pitbull
Bigwill got busy this weekend, (evidently) and missed setting his line-up. All of his skill positions (except for Thomas Jones) were on bye. It hurt his chances overall, only scoring 23. American Pitbull had a good day feasting on a missing Will, Vick got 26, Mike Wallace got 15, Ced Benson w/ 13, and Ray Rice w/ 18.
Bigwill—23 Pitbull—82

Norman v. Boocheeman
Norman finally gets a much-needed win, captalizing on Aaron Rodgers big game vs. the Cowboys (27 pts.) Boochee had Randy Moss and 49’ers DEF on bye, and Kevin Kolb on the bench. His highest scorer was David Akers w/ 15.
Norman—65 Boochee—53

Menacemanic v. Bearfanmike
Menace had issues with his WR corps, totaling 6.3 points total. Michael Bush gained 17 yards. BearfanMike got 19 out of Mendenhall, and 12 out of Janikowski.
Menace—44 Mike—84

Koko v. Papabear
Derek had a good week, getting 21 from Ahmad Bradshaw, and 16 from Tamme. His 90 points would have won most of the other matchups. But he ran into the Vinyl Buzzsaw. koko got HUGE days out of Arian Foster and Adrian Peterson (31 & 26 respectively). All of his support players scored TDs, except for Wes Welker, who scored 4 ½ points, even with an extra point kicked!
koko—152 Papabear—90

koko pulls into the overall lead by 70 points. Pitbull is tied in W-L. 4 players are tied @ 5-4, 4 tied @ 5-4, and 2 guys @ 3-6. Going into the home stretch!

Next weeks matchups:
Nick v. Riczaj
Papabear v. American Pitbull
Bigwill v. Boocheeman
Norman v. BearfanMike
Menacemanic v. Hammer Of The Gods
koko v. Globe Of Frogs

See you all on DBS! ]]> kokobear http://www.dabears.com/entry.php?b=41 My Life as a Chicago Bears Fan http://www.dabears.com/entry.php?b=40 Sat, 06 Nov 2010 07:40:39 GMT I have only been a Chicago Bears fan now for about five years, four years if you count my closely keeping up with them. It seems to me that unless... I have only been a Chicago Bears fan now for about five years, four years if you count my closely keeping up with them. It seems to me that unless you have been through some really dark periods in your life, you can't appreciate what a sports team means to you. That can be stated in my case with the Bears. Let me tell you about my relationship and love affair with the franchise.

I began to "keep my eyes and ears open" to the Bears in 2005 when they made their run to a division title. I knew that the team had its struggles with the offense, but I also was aware that it had a great defense, much like this team has (only better), and that it probably was only a year away from breaking out and becoming a real force to be reckoned with in the NFL. Luckily, this was proven correct, for in the Summer of 2006, I suffered my third nervous breakdown in over a four-year span. I needed something to latch on to in the worst way, and what better timing would the Bears have of becoming a championship contender than to do so at a time I was most in need? Dad told me about knowing DE Doug Atkins as a kid growing up in Knoxville, TN, (I live in the suburb of Knoxville called Powell), and I grew even more interested in the team. I didn't have NFL Sunday Ticket, but I clearly remember watching NBC's Football Night in America on the opening Sunday night game of the year and hearing about the Bears shutting out the Packers, 26-0. That caught my attention; for I believe it was Cris Collinsworth who made the comment, "If the Bears can somehow manage to score more than 21 points a game, they will be contenders again with their defense." Using sheer logical deduction, I knew that, come hell or high water, the Bears had what it took to score that amount, and that their defense was back atop of the NFL.

The first game I watch during the season was also a Sunday Night Football match up, against the Seattle Seahawks. The Bears skewered them, 37-6, as I can recall very vividly a beautiful Rex Grossman bomb to Bernard Berrian in the end zone. I knew i was in love with the team then. They had captured my imagination, and the next morning, as I was unemployed due to losing my job when I became sick as well as not in school because of my health, I started hunting for "Bear Down, Chicago Bears." I must have listened to that song untold numbers of times over a period of weeks.

Perhaps the defining moment for me was the game at Arizona. Somehow, with the offense not clicking and Rex Grossman just being, well, GROSS, MAN, the combination of the offense and the defense produced all the scoring necessary to lead the Bears to an improbable 24-23 victory.

Another high point for me was the game at the Meadowlands against the Giants. The Bears get down 10-0 to the big blue bullies before Rex Grossman showed that he wasn't completely inept all the time. Before I know it, a 108 yard Devin Hester kick return for a touchdown put the icing on the cake in a 38-20 Bears victory. I was in absolute hog heaven, and no, not of the Washington Redskins variety.

Some low points during the regular season were the losses to Miami, New England, and the rematch with the Packers. By those games, injuries as well as inconsistencies by Rex Grossman began taking their toll. But then, just like my Bipolar Disorder tends to do, the rollercoaster continue with its wild ups and downs. The game against Minnesota was thrilling as it was won in traditional Monsters of the Midway fashion: special teams and a hard core defense. It was also the game where Tommie Harris injured his knee and was lost for the season, thus having a dramatic effect on the Bears defense. Their run defense was affected adversely, nearly costing Chicago game against St. Louis, Tampa Bay, and Detroit while losing in the process to Green Bay. Thus, the Bears stumbled and hobbled into the playoffs.

For Christmas in 2006, I asked my family to buy me a brand new official Brian Urlacher jersey. We got a sweet deal on my size 56 off of E-bay, paying only about $50 because of its large size. I was officially ready for the playoffs.

I watched every single postseason game the Bears played with great fervor. The rematch with Seattle made me nervous before hand because I knew that they would be out for blood against us, especially now that the Bears were sans three All-Pro defenders (Mike Brown, Tommie Frazier, and Nathan Vasher), yet somehow pulled it out in OT. Then there was the beautiful NFC Championship Game, where Grossman, not at his best but definitely not at his worst either, guided the Bears to a 39-14 thanks to over 200 rushing yards put up on the legs of Thomas Jones (who we should NEVER have let go) and Cedric Benson. The defense was masterful at keeping the best offense in the NFC out of the end zone, and silenced any doubt as to which team deserved to go to Miami for Super Bowl XLI.

However, my season would end in heartbreak because of Rex Grossman's fumbling, stumbling, and throwing two interceptions, one of which was returned by Bob Sanders for a touchdown that put the Colts out in front to stay; it ended in a 29-17 Colts victory. The game got off to a fast start, with Devin Hester returning the opening kick off for a touchdown, the first time that had ever happened in the history of the Super Bowl. Manning looked shaky all game, but managed to, well, "manage" the offense just enough to guide his team to victory, along with help from Rex Grossman. (Should someone have investigated Grossman for collusion with our various opponents?)

That, in a nutshell, is the story of how I became a lover of Chicago Bears football. It's a bit mushy, I know, but if you really believe that the world of sports can make a difference in the lives of people, my story is a sticking testament to that account. I will never again align myself with another NFL franchise, as I was once a Cowboys fan during the Jimmy Johnson era of the early-to-mid 1990s. The reason I lost interest in the Cowboys was because I wasn't mature enough to remain a part of their fan base despite all the hard times they have incurred since their last championship. I wanted instant gratification, wins, championships, and when I wasn't getting that anymore, I bolted. However, I have since grown up enough to see that loyalty to one's team goes deeper than simply wins and losses; it's a matter of blood. The Bears are now coursing deep through my veins, and I look forward to every Sunday that they are on. Even though they have struggled since the '06 Super Bowl season, I will always find time periodically to pop in the DVD set of The History of the Chicago Bears and watch the 1985 championship season in review. Recently, I have suffered through a severe depression, and sometimes that's the only thing that will make me "un-sad". They really are therapeutic, even for crazy folks like me! ]]> Dagan81 http://www.dabears.com/entry.php?b=40