The Optimistic Approach

first?

Mostly agree with this but I'd argue that the window on Lovie Smith leading this team to playoff success is over, and losing may expedite finding his replacement. I am an Angelo fan but I can understand why people aren't bullish on him either - you'd think the Bears would have great depth on defense, and they don't. I think talk of the Bears being cheap is overblown and I do think Angelo will throw Lovie under the bus if it looks like they'll be both fired in a package deal.

Larry Johnson released by the Chiefs....theres a guy we could use to soften up the D and complement Forte

I know the guy is an asshole, but our running game looks so bad, Id give the guy a shot for the last half of the season....we are looking so bad we have to consider the scum now.

Seriously, when's the last time you've seen this D play 'violent and angry' (excluding Tommie punching out the guard)? The brass making the roster decisions are more to blame for this than anyone. You overpay for a few players who had a season or two of success - and then expect them to carry a defense full of undrafted FA's and 5th round picks? I'm sorry Jerry HandJello, but there's got to be a better way of doing this.

I've typed and deleted for like ten minutes now. After the last three weeks, I just don't know what to say anymore. This is one time where I really, really wish Pissed Off would come back for a swan song.

Anyways, the Bears suck. We all know it now. But, there is still half a season to go. Let's just enjoy it for what it is and move forward from there.

And....Larry Johnson blows. No way in hell.

We don't need another mental case. One per year is mroe than Lovie can handle with his enabling ways. He can't get tough until its too late (Benson, Tank, Tommy Harris).

Come on - I've watched and understood pro football for over 40 years. It's not tough to see that Lovie cannot right this ship. But the dumb thing so many teams do is kid themselves into thinking it will all be OK.

Neil Armstrong makes the playoffs in a contract year and the Bears are stuck re-upping him. Same with Wanny. They screw over McGinnis (who woudl have broguht Martz over with him) and we end up with Jauron - who has a fairy tale season in a contract year and we're stuck re-upping him. Then we get Lovie making the SB and he gets all full of himself ("trust me") and fires Rivera and screws up the defense. And we should keep him???

A year from now the clown will sneak into the playoffs somehow and the McCaskeys will want to re-up him again. Why can't anyone in that organization make a FOOTBALL decision??

I'm all for the optimistic approach. I would love for the Bears to enter the Viking game 6-4 with a full head of steam, but the truth is they don't have the defense to pull it off. McNabb's gonna go wild and Favre's gonna follow it up by tossing seven TDs in the first half.

I'm with you BearDown, I don't know what to say anymore. As for Larry Johnson, I don't want to see this team spend another dime on offense. Yeah, the O has sputtered this year, but there's a hell of a lot of promise there that we're starting to see in bursts. Hester's rocking and Olsen had a big game on Sunday. All I want to hear about is how they're going to fix this defense.

Get aproven winner - like Cower; not a promoted coordinator that may or may not turn out to be a good head coach.

Is it too late to re=promote Babich? Not that I like him, but Lovie can't do both jobs. Since he won't be fired from the main job, at least take away the defense.

Marinelli has completely ruined his own career.

And of course we'll hear everyone talk about the injuries as though that's a new thing in football this year. Hey - that's why there is a FIFTY THREE man roster to fill 24 positions.

And, yes, put Williams on the left side where he belongs and bring in a stud RT. I don't understand why you'd waste a No. 1 pick on a guy and then make him play a different position.

OK - sorry for the triple post. But there more I think of it, this half a bye week coming up is perfect timing for Angelo to do something drastic like orchestrate a coaching staff shuffle. Give the D back to Babich, fire Huber Humphrey or whatever his name is, and put the fear into Lovie and Tuner that it's on THEM.

OK - I feel better now.

Its important to note that we will likely be on the wrong side of the tiebreaker with two of the three teams we are chasing, plus Green Bay.

But as I posted on the previous thread, in order to make it through the season with my sanity intact, yes, lower expectations...At this point Im going to settle for them being competitive for an ENTIRE game...

Why did we draft a guy and put him in a different position? Becuase Lovie brought in another has been Ram. Orlando Archeletta. So Williams plays out of position and Omigod plays guard instead of RT and Adam Pace - who is too old to bend down by his own admission, takes up space. And Lovie keeps his job??

I mean, technically, we COULD still be in it with a loss to Philly....thats what I was saying...we COULD finish 11-5 or 10-6 with tiebreaker losses to Philly, Atlanta, and best case, a split with Green Bay.

But yes, I agree, realistically, we'd be out of it...

we need to win 6 of our next games to taste the post season. sorry, wont happen. And Larry Johnson will be a Packer or Patriot.

Jeff,

I love to be optimistic. BUT we HAVE TO be realistic as well. The reality is:

1.Our Defense can not stop a good passing team and can barely stop a good running team.

2. Our coaches on both sides of the ball need to GO.

3. Based on the rest of the season, except the RAMS, our season is done. Jesus Himself would have to come down and play Cornerback for us for the Bears to have a chance at the wildcard.

4. IF BIG CHANGES don't happen with our coaches you can expect more of the same next year with or without Urlacher. Poo stinks and so does the Bears.

Smelly or not I still love them and I'll try to keep the hope alive. BEAR DOWN!

As far as playoffs are concerned: it's over. The team's regressing in November, not getting better.

Let's hope for respectable showings in the divisional games and NOT losing to St. Louis.

And Lovie will get to save or lose his job in 2010.

I have seen the following coaches for the Bears - and in this time only two were any good. Halas, Dooley, Gibron (at least he was funny), Pardee (decent), Armstrong, Ditka (great), Wanny (worst), Jauron, Smith. The only time we weren't laughing stocks were the Ditka and Pardee years.

Aikman said "the Bears are not a good team" - this after saying - after two false starts in a row - "I thought they played HS football on Friday nights."

You can get angry at snide comments, but the Bears are deserving of such derision.

Jeff - I respect you and am happy this blog exists. But you are not seeing the forrest for the trees. This is a poorly coached team. I see no hope of them winning more than 2 of the next four - putting them in the dreaded 6-6 and still in contention spot when reality says they are not even close to contending for anything worth acheiving. (Second WC with maybe a 9-7 record after these disasterous games that don't go away? Please - I'd rather not.)

Thanks Jeff for keeping the hope. I just don't see it even if the NFC picture is muddled. Not with a d-line that can't shed a tackle or get a hand on the QB. A hodgepodge o-line that was better yesterday, but nowhere near average. A secondary that plays 10 to 15 yards off the line and can't play zone. Small receivers that don't create much space or go up for a jump ball. A running back in a bad sophomore slump, hopefully. Bad coaching, bad play calling, I could go on and on.

As hard as it will be for me, I am not going to watch the Niners game Thursday. I won't watch my team until they show heart. Until they show they will hit someone back, until they show they care, until they get their physicality back.
Call me a fair weather fan or whatever. But I'm banning this garbage until not only the performance proves, but more importantly until the attitude and demeanor changes. The Bears are soft, and in my opinion that's the worst characteristic to have in this league.

BillW - Great posts, but if the Bears get a second WC spot with a 9-7 record, I'd be thrilled beyond belief. With the way this D is playing right now, they'll be lucky to finish 8-8.

By the way, yesterday sucked, but who wasn't the slightest bit consoled at watching Green Bay get beat by Tampa? Hehe.

Fuck it. I'm as hopeful and optimistic about the Bears as anyone and I won't let that optimism be blinded by a few embarrassing losses.

If we're going to be optimistic, let's go balls out.

I think Lovie rights this ship and the Bears win eight straight and go 12-4 to clinch the North, along with a first round bye and home field advantage throughout the playoffs.

That's what I'm hoping for.

Bears-4-Ever has it right. I hate to say it, but this team is finished. 7-9 at best. A win over the Rams at home, MAYBE wins at Detroit and home against GB, judging by Packers loss to TB. I predicted a 31-21 loss yesterday, hoping that at home the D might put up a little resistance, but what a joke that turned out to be. We'll get more of the same in the Philly game and both Minnesota games (40+ points and ridiculous passing numbers from McNabb and Favre).
As far as the offense is concerned, Cutler had some time on some of his throws, but when it really mattered, they couldn't move the ball or score consistently. How does the offense go 90 yards for a TD in like 5 plays and do nothing else for 2 quarters? How does Cutler finish with 369 yards and 3 TDs in a 20-point loss? Oh wait, we have Lovie Lollipop for a head coach. I'm guessing Lovable Loser led an ice cream social after the game to help raise morale.

I live in Indy, so I can't help but look at what the Colts have done over the past decade and just cringe when I look at the Bears. Look at the Colts D this year. Yesterday they played a tough Texans team with 1/4 of their starting secondary. Gave up 17 points and won. We got torched by that team to the tune of 31 LAST year, and our D is worse this year. How does that happen?
Management and coaching, that's how. Bill Polian stocks that team with quality draft picks and smart free agent pickups. The backups produce. The coaches adjust the scheme to fit the players they have for any given week. That's how you win consistently. And don't just say they have Peyton. Peyton scored 20 yesterday, not 40. The Bears need to look around and get new management and coaching, because until they do, yesterday's game will become the norm. OK, enough negativity for one day.

We Shall Return - that's how bad this season is hitting me. I can't even enjoy the fact the Pack sucks! And then Fair weather Favre jumps ship to be with a winner in their own division becasue he wants revenge even though no one can see what the Pack did wrong. I was rooting for the Pack in the 2 games against the "queens. I thought they deserved better. Coudl you possibly imagine Payton playign for the Vikes or Pack just for the chance at one more SB?

bearsfanatic - yep, Indy is a great example. Another closer to home is the Saints - look where they are 3 years after that NFC championship game versus us.

What kills me the most is we havent been able to put toghether a good 60 minutes of football ONCE this season. I think this team got so used to getting 2-3 turnovers a game on defense, they forgot it takes 60 minutes to win...

And the arm tackling and stripping attempts have to stop. They need to get back to learning how to tackle first, then go for the ball...some of those tackles are pathetic.

Since blindly optimistic is the theme of the day, I'll say this:

Tommie Harris will practice this week and dominate the 49ers since he doesn't have a sore knee to contend with. I feel like a douche just typing that.

tommie is not playing thursday. if he's not suspended, I'd be shocked.

"Sunday" comes EARLY this week, boys & girls!

Can this group of defenders, who came across as totally lost/bewilderewd/befuddled/whipped in the post game comments I saw, regroup enough in 3 days to avoid being GOREd by Frank in 'Frisco?

It would surprise me if they can.

Wait a minute....The Cardinals just converted ANOTHER 3rd down.

Oh, Tommie Harris just apologized for his actions yesterday.

Whew! And to think, I thought he didn't care.

Guess that closes the book on that minor, inconsquential, harmless, little infraction because it seems to me if the Bears were going stomp on him with the suspension he so richly deserves they would have announced something by now.

And some of you actually want to bring in ANOTHER head case in the form of Larry Johnson?

What a LOVELY set of bookends he and Tommie would make.

OY!

MD30SD, regards your rant over "First" posts I say, "Bravo".
I hope you have better luck than I did in trying to eradicate that form of pestilence.

First, this is the most depressed i have been about a Bears team in quite some time.

The good: Cutler and our receivers...

The bad: Everyone else.

I want change, but Lovie will be here next year, so I am dubious.

I expect this team to finish 7-9 with a couple bullshit wins over the Rams and the Lions and a lucky win attached in there, but thats it.

As for the first comments, I dont care. Its been kind of a fun little thing at each new post. Who cares if they write first? Doesnt seem like that big of an issue, but maybe thats just me... I havent been first poster in ages.

I like the positive light Jeff, but I aint drinking the koolaid. I just hope Jay survives the season so we can move on from here.

Jeff-

Honestly, who's more at fault for that, do you put that on the coaches, or players? On one hand, they look extremely unprepared for games, on the other hand, they look extremely over matched, which is a personell issue..I mean, if guys just arent that good, thats one thing..

You know its a bad season when you dont even know who's more deserving of the blame!

I'm with Max. Who gives a shit if someone writes first? Just gloss over it. Christ, with the grammar police and the first Nazi's, there are more rules to this blog than there was in my dissertation. Seriously. Why does it fucking matter?

UPON FURTHER REVIEW....

It would probably be a worse punishment for Harris if the Bears DON'T suspend him, but just fine him and make him suit up and play.

I think its finally hard to disagree that Lovie needs to be replaced. Give me one solid reason why we should keep him?? He tried, it didnt work, time to move on. I can give 2 sh**s that he is a nice guy, doesnt yell, etc, but in my eyes his new name is LOVIE BAKER. Have the talent, dont know how to use it. The Bears are 20-19 since the Super Bowl, thats unacceptable. I'm sorry, but with Lovie calling the plays, I have never seen a defense that looks like they are playing two hand touch more in my life. You can always say hindsight is 20/20, like we shouldve had Singletary, kept Rivera, etc, but its time to make a move. I just hope that by picking up Cutler was a ploy to have Angelo and Lovie say, 'Well we have made some moves to improve this team" and that works because, the Bears of 2008 are better than the Bears of today. Pretty sad. Good thing we got rid of all of our top draft picks too.

I hope our defense wakes up and plays with passion these next 8 games. I feel like our defense is without a leader who can inspire greatness in each other. Someone please step up and lead!

Don't give up the fight, Finnish the game. Destroy all doubt and play with confidence. We need a spark of pride and passion to set ablaze a true defensive effort on every down.

We know when our defense is giving a true effort , we saw a small glimpse of it in the forth quarter when our team finally believed the could make a comeback and win... That small spark didn't last long enough to Finnish that game, but we have 8 more opportunities to set a blaze.

Rekindle the fire every time you suit up and play bear football, be the monsters of the midway ... BEAR DOWN!

I personally think that if you want to make a statement with Harris, have him dress, and sit on the bench.

Lets be honest, sending him home, or cutting him, is pointless. Its like giving the guy vacation...he gets paid regardless.

Its like sending a kid to his room with PS3, a computer, and a indoor basketball net...

Thats no punishment.

A guy like Tommy is more embarrassed having to sit there, fully dressed and not play.

did anyone hear Doug "Dont call me Bufoon" Bufone go ape shit on the Score??? OMG!!! ripped Lovie a new one. I'm looking for a link.

Doug B. was very underrated at the time for having played next to a legend but I never heard Abe Gibron call him anything except BUFFOON!! LOL!

My son also brought the Bears flag in in the middle of that game - he wanted to burn it. He's young, so I forgave him, told him to get that flag out front again pronto! The thing is, being a Bears fan transcends bad seasons, bad teams and bad coaching regimes - and fellow Bear fanatics, WE ARE ENDURING ALL THREE RIGHT NOW!!!

Jeff, God bless you my friend, you are trying... but one sees the supreme effort required. Agree with Max, we're at lowest of lows right now - with a (little) bit of silver lining -

Remember in 2007 when we still had a defense but had shit for offense, and the dawning realization that we may not have one starting quarterback out of three (again) - forget the fact that we were wrong at the time about Orton's promise - that was a pretty bleak feeling, knowing that we had a short window on the formerly great Chicago Bears D.

Well surprisingly, I am a little less forlorn right now in the reverse situation - we may not have the O, but we have the QB - and we've lost the D. And I mean lost it - it ain't anywhere to be found right now, and to me that means we're more than just a few missing pieces away from being good. But I believe that it's easier to shore up a defense than it is to find a bona fide franchise quarterback - and I still believe we have one in Jay Cutler.

As much as it is counter to common sense and commonly accepted strategy, I really wish we could fire all the coaches save Dave Toub RIGHT NOW (or as someone said, better would be after Thursday night's game with a mini-bye) - and bring in our next team. Screw the disruption, like we're really going somewhere this year? But we DESPERATELY need coaches in here who can evaluate talent so we can see what we really have on this roster - especially on offense. Someone who has a freaking clue about O lines - we need that NOW - we have a bunch of players about whom I guarantee you no one currently coaching the Bears has any idea as to who is good and who is bad - who would be better at different positions - THEY DON'T HAVE A CLUE.

WE NEED PROFESSIONAL COACHES. Not buddies. Not Lovie's personal support system.

PROFESSIONAL COACHES.

Here's wthe nearly unabridged list of who I would like to keep on our roster - the rest can leave.

Jay Cutler
Matt Forte
Devin Hester
Greg Olsen
Kellen Davis
Earl Bennett
Johnny Knox
Josh Beekman
Chris Williams

The rest on offense can leave. Notables who MUST leave are Olin Kreutz, Roberto Garza (come on folks, how long can Kreutz and Garza keep getting passes?), Des Clark is unfortunately DONE.

On D, I'll keep

Lance Briggs
Brian Urlacher
Israel Idonije (gotta love him)
Alex Brown
Charles Tillman for sentimental reasons.

The rest can leave.

Those who MUST leave include the Incomprehensibly Idiotic and Underachieving "AMERICA'S NEXT TOP SOONER BUST" Tommie Butter Harris. And ALL BEARS SAFETIES who are a DISGRACE to the safety greats who came before. And ALL BEARS CORNERS not named Peanut. (and even Peanut sucked yesterday). I'm sorry, Bowman = Not Great Corner.

That's 14 I'll keep. Everyone else can leave. And Dave Toub gets to stay, althought WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED TO OUR KICKOFF RETURN TEAM? We're TERRIBLE right now at that - Dave, you're on thin ice too.

I'll close with a New Classic by Bears-4-Ever

POO STINKS AND SO DOES THE BEARS

Can't wait to tell my son about that one!!!! Thanks B4E!

WTF is wrong with Tommie Harris this year? He ACTS like either he:

1)made bad real estate investments and is about to declare bankruptcy
2)has woman problems
3)has early-onset dementia

Seriously, WTF? Is he avoiding practice to prevent getting tested for performance enhancing drugs? (If smoking crack can be considered "performance-enhancing")

Cedric Benson got cut for less.

Gentlemen,

I did not post yesterday because I had to calm down and gather my wits before posting an Id (as in Freud) soaked, lizard-brained rant of mumbled profanities. I have gathered said wits and coupled them with thoughts about what we’ve all been witness to thus far.

First, Al. I don’t expect to eradicate it, I honestly just don’t get it – it’s something 13 year old high school girls coined and unfortunately it’s just become part of the accepted interweb lexicon. Intelligent thoughts, funny ramblings, and a bit of smack down is what you should be shooting for; being first doesn’t take much more than a bit of luck and/or timing.

So after watching the game, reading a few ‘analyst’ articles (see below – have I mentioned how much I hate that co&^%sucker Don Banks?), and digesting some of the venting done herein, I’ve solidified my own thoughts around some unpopped kernels of disappointment. Take them at face value, or toss them out with the crinkled and sill steaming bag they came in:

1. I believe the problem starts at the very top of this organization, the Owners
a. The Bears franchise has such an amazing, storied history along with an incredibly marketable/interesting ‘personality’ that turning these unpolished rocks into gold bars should be easy for the right business-minded management team (think Jerry Jones… but without the complete lack of self-respect and with at least a semblance of class)
b. Football is a business first and foremost boys, and should always be treated as such by management – either that or make it a family heirloom with the requisite sense of belonging and pride and closeness (Steelers). If your goal is to make money and be successful, you MUST deal in the only currency that funds this enterprise… success (i.e., W’s, playoff appearances, and super bowl wins).
c. BUT, it takes money to make money – so to pull it all together, if we had owners who were willing to respectfully and tasteful utilize the Bears name to create a true NFL brand, all of that glorious merchandizing could then be used to purchase our way to good… nay, GREAT coaches, better strategists, and finally a great team of hired guns (think Yankees).
d. For those of you saying that’s the soulless way out… one way or another, the owners have to instill the rabid desire to have a winning, successful franchise year after year. If for nothing more than vying for the top spot in football’s merchandizing race – yes I know it’s a dichotomy boys, throw out our humble, blue collar beginnings to become an NFL darling and winning dynasty, or languish in the shit and hope to Jebus for a run every 10-20 years. The McCaskeys ain’t the Rooneys so I honestly don’t think there’s another way. It might be time to ring Beelzebub for a sit down.

2. The GM
a. We’re all giddy because this assbag made one, ONE real big fucking ballsy move during his tenure thus far. Fuck Angelo, he’s a pussy.
b. He doesn’t seem to have a real (or even fake) grasp of how to build a long term, dynasty-worthy squad… at all. He is so far from what they have up in New England it’s frightening. Even that douche bag AJ Smith down here consistently makes ballsy moves to try and put together a viable squad. They haven’t always worked out well (Brees, Jr, Merriman, Donnie Edwards, Turner, etc..), but at least he’s a strategic fucking thinker. Angelo is a checkout line impulse buyer at best, like that ‘Make Your Own Cute Apple Dolls” how to pamphlet with the free packet of grow your own cran-apple seeds I picked up the other day. I don’t need to list them right?
c. We need a true warrior strategist GM in Chicago. One who will consistently make the right (or at least put his ballbag on the cutting board) moves that put us in a true position to win year after year. We are due our Dynasty and Angelo is standing directly in the path of that dream. Hey Angelo, get the fuck off the tracks or get your ass run over asshat.

3. The Coaches
a. Lovie is a pussy. I’ve written this before to a mixed response, but passion needs to seethe forth from every single pore of the organization. That starts with the top and if infused through El Jeffe - either Ditka ‘spit in your face’ style, or Chucky Noll’s quiet fire, but it’s gotta be driven from the top down and at every stage the game is taught, practiced, and played.
b. I have worked with gutless pussies over the years and they are the absolute worst. Shying away from accepting any responsibility that proffers risk (and what worthwhile venture doesn’t), and refusing to take accountability after they’ve completely fucked it all up because they were too scared or timid or gutless to do it right and kick its ass. Lovie smith is that kind of man. While not uncommon to see from a project manager, it’s sickening and pathetic to see from an NFL football coach. His post game demeanor disgusts me.
c. Pussies surround themselves with pussies (i.e., pussies of a feather…) – They are either too scared to get upstaged, or too conservative to ‘get’ true A+ players who will take them out of their comfort zone. They go with the easy, the mundane, the familiar instead of what the situation really calls for… passionate, no prisoner winners. Lovie fired all the A players (like Rivera) and has surrounded himself with his ilk. They all need to go, and Chicago needs to have a ‘No Pussies” sign nailed to the front door of Halas Hall (Jeff, care to design that shirt for us?)
d. Like I said a couple times before, Cower and his chosen posse would be my first choice. He fits the bill perfectly; tough as nails, a true teacher, and fiery as hell in a controlled burn way. We need Cower in Chicago. That happens and welcome back smash mouth football and winning to the Chicago Bears.

4. The Players
a. The Chicago Bears cannot employ thugs (Cedric Benson, Tank, Harris, Etc…). Let the Raiders pick up that refuse. I don’t give a shit how good they get once they leave, they have all been the right decisions for this franchise, bar none.
b. The Chicago Bears do (or should) employ and start only passionate hard working football players that are on the field because of their fire, leadership, and performance only (not because they are getting paid way too much through poorly researched and executed wire pickups). I know it’s a business and you’re not playing streetball any more, but for fuck sake show some interest in earning your paycheck. These prima donnas (pre 1984 ) only care about money and getting on MTV cribs… Jebus’s knee it pisses me off. They think everything should be handed to them just because they are NFL players.
c. Any starter without proving his has heart, fire, and performance each week should get a one way ticket to the Cleveland fucking browns, mid-season. Some type of fear of ill consequence has to be instilled in these guys or they’ll just continue to be disinterested, selfish, laggards who underperform for their millions each year.
d. Realistically, fire and passion to win (and bring the wood on every play) has to be an organizational personality trait that the vets/leaders on the field harness and then deliver unto the rest of the squad. Flying to the ball, leading with the helmet when needed (yes, this is fucking football last time I checked not God damned orienteering), gang tackling, and pancake blocks should be part of every God damn play in Chicago. That is what has and always should define our beloved Bears. Enough ‘acceptable mediocrity’ in Chicago!

Some other random observations, then I’ll shut up:
• We are not a playoff caliber team this year. As much as we all want it to be, and as possible as it still might be (statistically), there are too many holes to go anywhere past the first round against real teams – I’m not saying farve can’t get hurt and we pull off a miracle, or other WC teams won’t implode to help get us there, I’m saying we plain and simply don’t belong there with teams like Indy, NE, and the Saints. That said, I am rooting with J Dub, Jeff, and the other optimists here that we get to see some Bears football in the post season – I think we’ll all take it however it comes.

• I admit it, I was pleasantly surprised with Turner’s play calling this game. We got behind and had to dump the correct pace and solid calls to play come-from-behind, as usual, which fucked everything up, but I believe that if the D had gotten the cardinals off the field like they were supposed to, Cutler AND Forte would have had career days. Not enough to save him for years of 32/33 traps, but it was an unexpected surprise for a few drives.

• I was also impressed with the oline’s uncharacteristically reasonable (couldn’t think of a better adjective) play this game. I really was. No they weren’t Indy or Denver (I like and always will like Neck Beard), but coupled with some of the daring roll out-ish plays being called, they gave Jay some time and protection until the shit hit the fan later in the first Q.

• What in thee fuck happened to Dave Toub and our consistently top ranked special teams?!?!? Yes, yes, they weren’t a complete clusterfuck, but for the 6th time this year when playing against real teams they didn’t do a damn thing to change the pace/course of the game like we’re used to seeing. Makes me wonder if DT is trying to get an early ticket out of this mess? Without our STs of old (turnovers and touchdowns), we’re starting games behind the 8ball with this bunch.

• Our D has no real identity as a unified, marauding force. We’re fielding a patchwork of 2nd teamers, wide-eyed rookies, and tired/injured oldies. We seriously aren’t fielding a real D, and these guys aren’t a real unit. If you aren’t a real D unit with real bonds, who care about how you play your part, how can we expect these guys to give a shit about being good or even focus on wining. Each position player is just trying to do his part not to hang on and not shit the bed every game, and that’s not a unit, or a defense, it’s a fucking track meet.

o Playing on a defense is as close to war as you can get (never been in a war thank Jebus, but playing defense is a battle) and without the bonds of a true unit that’s been together and cares about each other, doing whatever it takes to make that WHOLE unit successful just won’t be there. This defense will never come together and play well because it’s not a real D.

• Lastly: Shitcan that assclown Harris | Alfala isn’t the Pisa type I thought he was… not even close | bring in Vasher for a try | what the hell happened to Marinelli the Great and a vastly improved d-line for christo sake | we have 2nd string line backers at every position… sometimes third string for fuck sake | Why did teams like the Eagles pick up players witherspoon and get a complete stud, while Jerry continues to ‘like the guys we have’… are you fucking kidding me Jerry? Are you watching the same catastrophes that we all are? | I like Rasheed Davis | I hope Peanut gets better fast

I actually agreed with a few commentators before the game who stated that if the Bears sit back in soft zones, they will be carved up by Warner. What happened to this defense after the third game? They seem to play nothing but vanilla defenses now. The run defense was a complete embarrassment. Can someone answer these questions for me:
1) Do the Bears ever practice tackling or proper tackling techniques?
2) Do they ever have REAL padded practices during the week, especially the O and D lines?
3) Do the Bears ever have real practices in general, or is it like "Kiddie day care", as Dan Hampton calls it?
I could rant on and on, but it comes down to basic blocking and tackling. I'll bet the Cards had over 200 yards after first contact. At least make the other team have to work for their scores. The safety concerns before the season is showing it's ugly head. They seem to be non-existent. Enough ranting.
News alert - Tommie Harris checked into a psychiatric ward today, then escaped. He was last seen in a befuddled state walking down a highway in nothing but a hospital gown.

no link has been posted for Doug B's rant. Soon as I find one, I'll post it. I dont think I've EVER heard him that pissed.

You can go to the score website, click on podcasts, and then the postgame show is on the far right. It has both hours of his show with OB, and no commercials. I usually listen to it before going to bed or first thing the next morning. He WAS going nuts, and rightfully so. The Bears gave up 31 or more points in the first half only 5 times in 88 years, and have now done it twice in 21 days.

That's five times in 1,234 regular season games before this year, and twice in three weeks this year. Hopefully they show some pride on Thursday.

YOU FOUND IT!! AWESOME!!

He is losing his shit - it is hilarious.

If someone had told me Olsen would have 3 tds, and Cutler would pass for 369 yds, and we'd STILL lose by 20 points, I would've said you're nuts.

It just flies in the face of everything we thought we knew about this team over the last few years.

Hmmm. Optimism. Hope. Admirable qualities. The time for those little uppers was after game one I'm afraid. However they are quite unapplicable to this team. Post game one. When every single Bears fan was thinking "WTF!?" Then was the time for optimism, 'let's see what happens against Pittsburgh before we write the season off'. But we've had 8 games to watch the Bears decline and the results are in. THE EMPEROR IS WEARING NO CLOTHES. Not a stitch. And that's okay. Acceptance is more important to a Bear fan than hope. Acceptance that as long as the McCaskeys walk this Earth, then the Chicago Bears will be a sporting holocaust - as they suck in the TV revenue and plough none of it back into the team.

There was a lot of smoke and mirrors evident regarding the Bears' roster, but the glass is broken now. The woeful attrition of the offensive line when the season opened was warning shot number one. But we still had that defense right ? Urlacher and Pisa were removed from the equation straight away. Say it ain't so Joe, we'll get through this, right ? We're the Bears ! We're bigger than any one player on that defense, right ? Maybe. But, not bigger than two it seems. The walls came down, the rush came through, and it was just hard to play offense. Just like old times.

The weakness at the receiver position was lightened only by the revelation of Devin Hester's maturity. Tommie found God. Greg Olsen forgot how to play football. Receivers were quitting on routes, or just plain didn't know the routes. The boo birds were out for Cutler, you could hear the sound of knives sharpening for his public execution. Running and gunning for his life, literally, the Broncos were being touted as winners of "The Trade". Still, we had the Marinelli-inspired, Harris-healthy, Lovie-play-calling D to get us through the season, just like they did during the Ortman years ...... or did we ? Look how we were terrorizing the opposition with our fearsome defensive line ! Look how we were brushing aside the mighty offensive lines of the Packers/Steelers/Browns/Lions !! And then Aaron Rodgers becomes The Running Man, along with Fat Ben. More warning shots echoed. And then came Mike Turner and the game we should have won. And then came Ced Benson and the game we never played. In subsequent weeks, two ex-Bear RBs looked like the most explosive backs in the game putting up video game numbers for the Bengals and Jets (both teams are rumored to have offensive lines).

Somebody should write a book called "The Seam - the hole in the Cover-2 defense" - I think someone already has, and passed it around to Bears' opponents and rookie quarterbacks everywhere. I have a terrible feeling that even Alex Smith will have a career day against us next week using Vernon Davis, Bruce and Crabtree. That's career day as in 'good'.

I thought we were going to win the Superbowl this year, at least get to the show. In spite of the insane management. We got to the show with a good defense and Rex. This year would be a cinch. Urlacher had worked out all summer, he was 10 lbs heavier with muscle, new OL, Pisa .... smoke and mirrors. Suddenly there was no 'over-rated over-the-hill Urlacher in the middle. And how they ran against us. And how they passed. And how the opposition did whatever they pleased when the wheels came off the Lovie train ... and the lack of talent combined with Bubba's inability to adjust in-game just makes you want to puke and die early. The first squeak of a wheel coming off the defense for me was in the Detroit game. Calvin Johnson is running amok on the Bears and I'm thinking Steve Smith playoffs. Bubba reveals his masterplan after the game. "In the second half .... (drum roll) .... I put Tillman covering Johnson." Rounding of f**king applause for the genius! And that's when it hit me. He waited a whole half of football to do the obvious. He waited a WEEK without making sure Tillman was on Johnson the WHOLE game.

Hope ? Playoffs ? We're already a tie-breaker down to GB and ATL. Philadelphia have a ST/defense and an offense that can score at will seemingly. SF are quite capable of kicking the shit out us. Excellent secondary + Patrick Willis. If we don't stop Gore, Gore will stop us. The only chance we have of winning that game is the historical direness of Alex Smith. Even if we win, we need five more just like it. Assuming (ha!) we get two wins from the Lions and the Rams, where do we find four more pray tell ? Answers on a post card please .....

Christmas present idea :
------------------------
As Cutler battles Marino for greatest QB never to get a ring, Christmas approaches, for your loved ones get them Tommie Harris' new biography - "The Man That Wasn't There".

I was at the game on Sunday where Losie Smith robbed me of $250. I have never been more disgusted by the team in my entire life. And since my life has spanned the Wanny years that's saying something.
There is no optimism, there is no hope for 2009. There is only January. A bright day in January when Espn will break in to sports center reruns and declare that the Bears have fired head coach Lovie Smith with two years remaining on his contract.
I'm consumed with this thought so much I'm considering rooting for a Bear on Thursday night. A real one. Not the ass clowns that currently disgrace the uniform. A real one; Mike Singletary.

MB30SD - way to go man ! Bring it on. None of that blind loyalty bullshit. Word. Halas hall is a nursery for pussies. A bunch of spoilt jocks, waited on hand and foot their whole lives, sitting around Kreutz thinking "Wow, I've heard you're tough". But they're not tough, it's plain to see. At first I thought it was just Olsen and the receivers (except for Hester) that were weak - but it pervades the whole team except for Cutler, maybe Briggs. Cutler's probably the toughest guy on the team. Unless Favre falls under a bus (can we arrange that?) this season is done for Bears fans. Fuck it. Maybe we can get a good OL together within three years and give it a run(if Cutler is still around the Bears slop bucket). Receivers might have some hair on their balls by then ...

O.K..... I know I am new to this blog as in adding comments but I have been enjoying it for two seasons now. Thank you Jeff. Seeing I a live a long way from "Sweet Home Chicago" I have to tell all of you how I was able to get out of the funk.. Pulled out the VCR yes..The VCR and tape of the 85' season (Why my Dad and I taped the season is beyond me but for some reason he new it was going to be speacial). I sat my to children down and showed them why we bleed Navy & Burnt Orange if they cut us. A smile and heart pulpitaion came everytime our defense "SMASHMOUTHED SOMEONE" Then my son saw those eyes of one "Hall of Fame" Middlelinebacker "Samuri" and I told him we will see him on Thursday. Even though he will be in Red and Gold he will always bleed "BEAR COLORS". I wish he was are coach. Just a parting thought seeing our season is with (L)imp(D)ick(L)ovie. Remember 83' when Da Coach came in and cleaned house? I beleive it is time again.

Well, Neckbeard pissed away that game. 2 crucial interceptions that killed the Broncos chances. I don't care what anyone says. I'll take Cutler any day of the fucking week over Neckbeard. The broncos should be 5-3 after this loss...those lucky motherfuckers. A fucking cat could throw the ball in the air for the Beast to catch, break 3 tackles and sprint 50yds for a TD. If you want to crown him and say the won the trade you can blow me. media are pussies anyway.

Oh besides Cutler, Angelo blows. Here is the Steelers 1st round drafts since 03:
Troy, , Ben, Timmons, Heath Miller, Ziggy Hood, Santonio Holmes, Mendenhall.

Angelo...WTF.

...NICE Neckbeard last INT with 14 tics left in the fouth... Josh hows that Managing Quaterback... look 28-10

Flying the "Just Get In!" flag here at work, good work Jeff.

Ok Bears fans, now that we all know that this years team is'nt Super Bowl bound, how about starting to look for improvements.

I have been saying for weeks that our D was the problem. It takes a couple of weeks to get used to that idea. A bad bears D, But our D stinks and that just makes it impossible for our team this year. This is tough to swallow for a team that we had such high expectations of at the beginning of the season. But once you do get over it and get a rant off your chest. Look for improvements, look for areas of improvement, it makes the game fun again. There's still nothin wrong with a Nov Sunday cheering on the Bears hoping for a win or in some years a close game. BEAR DOWN