I heard Mike North on the Mike & the Mad Dog show yesterday and he was asked about Brian Urlacher's popularity in Chicago. "If he wins this, he becomes a legend," North said. If he wins this, he becomes a legend. Not to play the role of the cock-eyed optimist but I don't think this will be Urlacher's last rodeo. This team is too young, too talented, too deep and too well-coached to not have a couple more shots at atleast GETTING to a Super Bowl.
But North is right. For as much as Peyton Manning can cement a Hall of Fame legacy by winning Sunday, being great in Indianapolis isn't quite the same thing. Playing defense in Chicago is like playing the blues in Memphis: if you're it, you'll get mixed into the civic gumbo. Bill Rhoden said it best on The Sports Reporters this week when he said Chicago has been eternally divided on its racial and rooting interests. The one unifier has always been the Chicago Bears. Look around Soldier Field on Sunday and it isn't hard to figure out who the cream is in the city's twinkie.
Brian Urlacher is a great football player. But if they told tales of winning conference titles, Thurman Thomas would have his own wing in Canton. They write books about champions. Ali. Mantle. Payton. Jordan. If Ditka hints at rooting for another team, we get furious. If McMahon won't come to the stadium, we get upset. If you win, that's it. You're a Bear, like it or not, for the rest of your life. Call it a forced immortality but its immortality nevertheless.
Grossman may be the story. Lovie may be the coach. But this is the Urlacher Era of Chicago football and in six seasons we've won three division titles and are playing in the Super Bowl. Sunday they'll play that Super Bowl and this time THEY includes the Chicago Bears. Brian Urlacher's Chicago Bears. And if they win I'll be first in line at Urlacher's Fish & Chips on Rush Street.
#2 Bear Dn. said . . .We need to use the word gumbo more often. While we're at it, let's use the phrase 'creme in the twinkie' more often, too.
January 31, 2007
#3 jeff said . . .Where does 54 rank in terms of the other previous 50's the Bears have had. If he wins a ring on Sunday, and matches, #50 does he also surpass #50? Butkus never even made it to a show, but that doesn't diminish his standing in the lore we love. It's hard to beleive that 54 has only been here 6 years. TRIVIA TIME, Who played MLB before #54...i have a hard time remembering...(B Cox???)
January 31, 2007
#4 Nicole living in hell (blue city) cannot wait to come home to Orange said . . .minter
January 31, 2007
#5 BRIANsong said . . .Must be a productive day at work... it's quiet here.
January 31, 2007
#6 Pissed off said . . .It totally is. After apparently no one got anything done yesterday.
January 31, 2007
#7 Nicole living in hell (blue city) cannot wait to come home to Orange said . . .Meeting Urlacher was one of the highlights of my life, he's so laid back and doesnt want the media, or fan attention for that matter. He's down to earth, just doing his job, which he is great at, making some money. He's doing his job like we all do for money, to feed our family, etc. But we dont get media attention, he does. He's just soooo normal and like the rest of working America. I love it.
January 31, 2007
#8 Phil from SATX said . . .It's nice to see that celebrity doesn't go straight to some peoples heads. Urlacher waves to his daughter at every game. That makes my heart warm.
Aside from other gossip you hear in the media about some of his moral choices, it's good to hear he's a polite person.January 31, 2007
#9 Alley said . . .PO'd, how'd you happen to meet him? And how cold is it in North Dakota today?
January 31, 2007
#10 District Selectman said . . .Gotta be productive today because NOTHING is going to get done Monday...or this Friday for that matter.
As for the number Ulacher/Butkus debate, wow, we are lucky fans to get to debate over two players who both play(ed) for our team. Usually when you hear about comparing players of such stature they come from opposing teams. I don't care if 50 never got a ring, I have seen video and that man was a beast! I think when the Bears win on Sunday, they should give him a ring for being part of the great tradition Bears MLB
January 31, 2007
#11 Pissed off said . . .To me, Urlacher is already up there with those other guys. He's obviously going to be with the Bears for a while, and he's going to be good for a long time, so in my book, he's already up there with the legends. I think a Super Bowl win vaults him into the conversation that starts, "Who is the greatest of the great Bears linebackers?"
January 31, 2007
#12 Pissed off said . . .Being close to MN I go to the annual Chicago/Vikings meeting at the dome. I met him the night before the game, New Years Eve 2005, NFL week 17, you all know the game......the last one before we got run by Carolina.....I met him at Alary's, its a Bear's bar in downtown St. Paul. He showed up at about 10:30 or so with Marcus Robinson. Big Al, the guy who runs Alary's, his father played for the Bears. You can check out the bars website at alarys.com. Anyway he came in signed a few autographs, the place wasnt packed, and visited with some Bears fans. Man is just laid back and cool. It was awesome!!
Funny though how the first thing that popped into my mind is "he better not be drinking, why is he out so late, he's got a game tomorrow" but he only played a series or two the next day anyway as you all know.
Currently it is 8 degrees but feels like -10 due to wind chill (19 MPH). Tomorrow will be great calling for 50MPH gusts, snow and a temp of -20 wind chill. NICE!
January 31, 2007
#13 jeff said . . .Totally agree with absolutely everything District said. He's a living legend, ring or not. With a ring he becomes the best Bears MLB of all time!
January 31, 2007
#14 Max said . . .fascinating story:
While Norv Turner remains the leading candidate to be the next head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, ESPN's Chris Mortensen reports that Turner has made some stipulations to the team, including asking for control over choosing his staff.And it now looks like Turner would want Bears defensive coordinator Ron Rivera as his defensive coordinator in Dallas.
According to league sources, the Bears will allow Rivera's contract to expire at the end of this season (after the Super Bowl), and Rivera could leave the team to join the Cowboys staff.
Meanwhile, the Cowboys interviewed Bears Hall of Fame linebacker and 49ers assistant coach Mike Singletary on Tuesday and indications are that Singletary was very impressive in his interview.
January 31, 2007
#15 jeff said . . .I dont know if I'd say the best of all time, even with a ring. I am not even sure you can say who is the best of all time:
Brian Urlacher, Dick Butkus, Mike Singletary, or Bill George.
Cases can be made for each one of these guys. Also, it will be interesting what the Chicago media says about Urlacher in terms of greatness when, WHEN, the Bears win on Sunday.
January 31, 2007
#16 Nicole living in hell (blue city) cannot wait to come home to Orange said . . .i think urlacher is a hell of a ballplayer but i don't put him with singletary and butkus yet. if he plays great sunday, however, win or lose and i may put him up there.
January 31, 2007
#17 Frank said . . .Who's got the Superbowl Shuffle on repeat?
Who's taking Monday off work?January 31, 2007
#18 Bill said . . .Dallas Clark will run urlacher to death. He doesn't stand a chance on Sunday.
January 31, 2007
#19 Bill said . . .jeff -
I haven't read the article, but the Bears woudl refuse Dallas the right to talk to Rivera (which they can do since the position is a lateral, not a promotion.) I can't see why Rivera woudl go to any other team as a DC when he clearly wants to be head coach. And why woudl Turner want a guy who would leave after one year if he got the chance? But again, I didn't read it.Also - they already hired an OC, so Turner won't get to pick that.
The Singletary interview was likely a sham becuase Jerry Jones didn't comply with the spirit of the "Rooney Rule".
There is an excelent rumor site called profootballtalk.com that discusses that. It's exactly that - a RUMOR site. I'd say 50% of what they talk about never comes out - but I suspect much mor ethan that is true and just never is revelaed on the record. For example, they had the Saban is leaving story nailed all the time he denied he was going anywhere. They are pretty sure Russ Grimm was offered the Steeler s job and then it was yanked from him - and they are almost positive that Grimm beleives that whether he got a wrong impression or not.
In other words, it's stuff they hear from insiders that often is just speculation - but taken as that it's very interesting.
January 31, 2007
#20 jeff said . . .Frank you can do better than this:
"Dallas Clark will run urlacher to death. He doesn't stand a chance on Sunday."Run him "to death"? Doesn't stand "a chance"? Given that Urlacher is arguably the best MLB he's play this year (certainly in the top 3 by any reasonable view) I', going to see how many yards Clark got against the lesser MLB all year. It must be thousands of yards and dozens of TDs - since Urlacher will be "run to death". they must have suffered even worse fates.
It will be interesting to see. I don't follow the AFC - but Clark must have been the MVP behind LT.
January 31, 2007
#21 Megan said . . .bill, they wouldn't have the right. rivera's contract is up at the end of the season, making him a free agent. they'd have to actually re-sign him but he'll be free to move on.
January 31, 2007
#22 Coxy said . . .You all know how I feel about Urlacher. I have always been a MLB groupie, more for Chicago Bears then any other, obviously.
He is close to being up there with Singletary in my opinon. He's smart, quick and deadly when faced head on. I live to see him nail a RB or even when he gets close to getting an interception. Can't say I hate it when he gets a good sack either.January 31, 2007
#23 Nicole living in hell (blue city) cannot wait to come home to Orange said . . .Frank, Kyle Orton is going to dominate Bob Sanders all day long. Sanders has no chance.
January 31, 2007
#24 Bill said . . .Respect to Orton, Purdue alum. WHOO HOO! :)
January 31, 2007
#25 Chad said . . .jeff - I assume you're right about Rivera's contract being up. Still, why woudl Turner want him knowing he woudl leave after a year? And why would Rivera leave for another DC job with different players - what if the Cowboys have a bad year and his rep goes down? Coould happen - he's better off staying with the Bears.
But in reality, I really think Jones is biding time until the SB is over. He will either make a run for Lovie or he'll settle for Rivera.
January 31, 2007
#26 Midway Monster said . . .Frank, FYI...
Urlacher is bigger, stronger and faster than Dallas Clark. There is no problem there.
Don't come here to be a troll just to be a troll. Think of interesting things that MAY be true. Talk about how Marvin and Reggie will be catching pass after pass after pass. Talk about Peyton Manning carving up a soft zone. But don't make up stupid things that won't happen.
January 31, 2007
#27 Megan said . . .Rather than debate Urlacher/Butkus, how about we debate the damage on Manning face after getting creamed by Urlacher.
I really hope we cover the U-helments deep & force the quick button hooks for Manning. If so, there will be an instance for flushing Manning and perhaps a blitz on his a$$. (of course Urlacher will have to deliver punnishment on all short passes in the middle).
--Midway--
January 31, 2007
#28 Midway Monster said . . .of course... Sick 'em boy!
February 1, 2007
#29 SWM said . . .This week has been to quiet down in Miami. I wish Lovie would kick Dungy in the gonads and get this game on the right track. The thing is way to civil for me. I mean- damn it- its supposed to be an organized gang fight so Someone hit somebody please!
--Midway (lookin fer a fight)--
February 1, 2007
#30 Heidi said . . .Ah, Nicole you may very well be my soulmate. My apologies as I have spent the last 24 hrs. in a Bears stupor...watching the NFC Championship game over and over, following the media circus from Miami and surfing the web for anything Bears. Then I went into Chicagoan mode and fired up my Styx, Chicago and Smashing Pumpkins.
btw - my decription: 6' dark hair, blue eyes, Urlacher body type (smaller neck, though) and Lovies disposition
And your crispies look tasty, would hate to eat the Bears designs, which are works of art and love
and... ahem gumbo, gumbo, gumbo
'creme in the twinkie'
February 1, 2007
#31 Frank said . . .I'm pissed. I live in Houston and read the Houston Chronicle (our only daily newspaper). A jerkoff journalist, Ken Hoffman, writes this in Thursday's paper:
•Colts 32, the other team 19.
(http://chron.com/disp/story.mpl/life/hoffman/4516118.html)
It's obvious there are TWO major insults there. Please join me in writing him and voicing your thoughts. His email (posted in the newspaper) is: ken.hoffman@chron.com
He posts readers' letters in the Sunday paper, so look for your letter online on Sunday. I would love for him to get a TON of letters. Btw, he hates the Cubs too. I'm tired of listening to him insult my teams. When you write him, list your city & state too. One sentence emails are fine too; just write! THANKS!
February 1, 2007
#32 Bear Dn. said . . .Mark my words. Dallas Clark will have a huge game on Sunday, and he will be the difference maker. Urlacher has not faced a TE that also has the ability to line up as a reciever, and be as productive as Clark has been in that position.
February 1, 2007
#33 Nicole living in hell (blue city) cannot wait to come home to Orange said . . .He only knows the Colts because the Texans beat them this year. Calling all journalists, continue counting us out, continue giving us no chance, continue the overall lack of respect. 54 and the boys like it and would like a subscription for the locker room. I don't think the league will like the Chicago Bears when they are angry. We ruin fairy tales for a living!!! BEAR DOWN!
February 1, 2007
#34 Coxy said . . .Well SWM I've got a few soul mates around the globe that share our similar affinities for sports, beer, Chicago the town and athletics.
Crispies taste even better than they look and don't worry, I think Urlacher would approve eating the Bears crispies. I'm sending out quite a few to IL today for Superbowl parties. Finally my Bears orders surpassed the stupid Blue team orders.
Gumbo twinkies anyone? Okay, that's just gross.
:)
February 1, 2007
#35 Tank's Johnson said . . .Frank, get a clue and don't come at us with Dallas Clark. Urlacher covers true wide receivers often. You may recall him covering Reggie Bush, Marques Colston last week on a couple plays.
Please read the following in Allen Iverson's voice:
Dont talk about Dallas Clark. Dallas Clark?! Dallas Clark?! We're talking about Dallas Clark? Dallas Clark? Not Reggie Wayne, not Marvin Harrison, we're talking about Dallas Clark?February 1, 2007
#36 Parttymer said . . .Frank, if I remember correctly Urlacher had no problem defending Reggie Bush during the NFC Championship game.
February 1, 2007
#37 Pissed off said . . .Just a note about Bears' middle linebackers. Butkus was the best. Clearly. However, the game is different today. Butkus could NOT do what Urlacher does. Singletary could not do what Urlacher does. Actually, in my view, Singletary really only had a couple of really good years. His coverage skills deteriorated rapidly after 1986. He lost more than one step and he got by on experience and reputation.
February 1, 2007
#38 Frank said . . .Frank your an idiot. Dallas Clark, who the fuck is Dallas Clark, is that some backup lineman on your team, I've never heard of him. Haven't seen his name on the pro bowl roster before?
The only TE named Clark tearing it up on Sunday will have a first name of Dez.
February 1, 2007
#39 Pissed off said . . .Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought Reggie Bush was a running back.
I'm just saying that Urlacher can't stop Clark if he is also going to stop the run. I'm not worried about Indy's O-line not being able to play smash mouth football against the Bears, we did it against the best defense in the NFL (Baltimore.) It will take more than 1 player to stop the arsenal of the Colt's offense. This will be a high scoring game.
February 1, 2007
#40 Nicole living in hell (blue city) cannot wait to come home to Orange said . . .I dont know what makes you think this will be a high scoring game, you only kicked field goals against the Ravens, thats pathetic! Wait until you face the Bears defense if you thought the Ravens were tough, you might be lucky to score 6 points.
If Urlacher is covering a RB then Hillenmeyer or Briggs will be on Clark and either one of them can shut Clark down too. He's not that good. He has hands but he's not the greatest TE to ever play or anything. I could cover him.
Also its a good thing our defense has more than one player so we can stop the colts offense, which isnt as good as the Saints offense and you saw what we did there. Your a genius!February 1, 2007
#41 Frank said . . .Mr. Pissed: Ignore Frank and sing Happy Birthday to me instead. Throw in some of the Superbowl Shuffle or the SNL version "Superbear shuffle" and you'll feel much better. :)
February 1, 2007
#42 Pissed off said . . .Your defense did play well against the Saints. But, you can't honestly tell me that the weather didn't play a major role in that performance. The Saints, an indoor team from the south, are not used to playing in the wet and cold. Those turnovers are as much attributable to the weather as they are the defense. There will not be any snow in Miami. There will not be that many turnovers for your defense to rely on.
February 1, 2007
#43 Bear Dn. said . . .It wasnt a blizzard or anything, it was light snow which has minimal effect on the game at all. That is evidenced by some long completions in the game. So yes we will turn over your team several times as we did the Saints. Also your team is an indoor (pansy ass) team and no there wont be any snow but even going from a dome to the outdoors is big swing for your team. Advantage: Bears
By the way happy B-Day to Nicole, are you then wearing your birthday suit for me now that I've congratulated you?
February 1, 2007
#44 Frank said . . .Come on Frank you're dreaming. we don't rely on turnovers, we CREATE them. The Bears made plays on the same balls the Saints were going after. I understand that you may think the initial Colston fumble was weather related, and that Vasher doesn't make the pick without snow, but mark my words The Bears will create 3 turnovers on Sunday AND WIN!
February 1, 2007
#45 Nicole living in hell (blue city) cannot wait to come home to Orange said . . .I wouldn't count on that Bear Dn. Peyton has had plenty of time to study up, and he is more relaxed now than ever. Don't look for the int's. Everyone else is well aware that the Bears try to "Create" turnovers, so they will be focused on holding onto the ball.
February 1, 2007
#46 Bill said . . .I'm celebrating in style today, no birthday suit for this girl... well maybe later after too much wine with my friends at dinner.
All I want for my birthday is the Bears to win the SUPERBOWL!February 1, 2007
#47 Pissed off said . . .This is for the anti-Bear posters on this site: Frank, Dave, "Colt" (wherever he/she went):
After the game, I pledge to post as honest of an assessment of what happened - in my view. On Monday (or maybe Tuesday). If they lose - I will tell it like I saw it. If Manning picks us apart, I'll say so. If Clark runs wild over Urlacher, I'll say so. If Rex sucks it up, I'll say so.
If we get called for penalty that isn't a penalty, like NE did, I'll say that too. (Face-guarding IS NOT A PENALTY. Look it up - there have been MANY commnets on that the last couple of weeks!) If we suffer a key injury that limits our ability to exucute a phase of the game we need to win, Ill say that too.
Now - will the anti-Bears posters do the same if the Bears win? We can talk back and forth all we want - the outcome is not influenced by anything we say. Will you admit it if Rex has one of his high rated games (he's had 7, you know)? If we run for 160 yards and control the clock - will you admit that you coudl have seen that coming (Colts gave up 4.00 yds per carry in the post-season, so if we run 40 times....)? If the D is up to the task and holds Manning below average, will you admit it?
Or will you say the Bears were lucky, or that they won but the Colts were still the better team, or something intelligent like Bears suck?
I've not had a lot of exposure being on boards like this, so I guess I'm naive. But I'm pretty appalled by the lack of maturity and total lack of logic in many of the posters here - primarily the anti-Bear posters. Many of you sound like 12 year olds (and maybe you are): My team is great and your team stinks!
I know it's just sports, but if you can't apply simple cause-effect logic in an endeavor that lends itself easily to it, you are probably going to have menial jobs your whole life. Debate is healthy and good mental exercise. "Clark will run all over Urlacher" is not debate - it's mindless.
I've not heard anyone say anything logical about why the Colts can win. It's easy - I'll help you out. Manning is an outstanding QB. When focused, he has the same spatial relationship sense that Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky, and Pete Marovich had. He simply knows where his receivers are, where the DBs are, and when/where they will come open. In order to beat that, the defense has to pressure him (not easy) or disguise coverages (risky).
There - was that so difficult?
February 1, 2007
#48 Nicole living in hell (blue city) cannot wait to come home to Orange said . . .I dont care if Peyton has 4 years to prepare and study, he has 5 picks in the playoffs already, he sucks so far in the playoffs and the wrap on him is he cant win the big one. Well that will be no different on Sunday, he will buckle under the pressure, he will get an amount of pressure he has not seen yet this year and he will falter! We will be getting 2 INTs on Sunday wether he studies film or not. We're just going to add to his INT total in the playoffs, lets not forget that Peyton should have at least 2 more INTs if Ray Lewis hadnt knocked them away from the DBs.
February 1, 2007
#49 Frank said . . .{bowing down in my office to Bill} Good call.
Can it be Sunday yet?
February 1, 2007
#50 Bill said . . .Bill-
I'll be here on Monday no matter what the outcome is, and I will completely honest.I also agree with you on the face guarding call. I would however like to point out that that particular call did not determine the outcome of the game. It was the Pat's lack of defense that allowed Peyton to march down the field in the last 3 minutes to win the game.
February 1, 2007
#51 Bill said . . .Frank - not saying it affected the outcome (though I suspect it had an impact.) Personally, I like the college rule of 15 yards better. I would modify that in the pros to account for "flagrent fouls" though, but I digress.
I simply point it out because anytime you give a team the ball on the one yard line without them earning it, it changes momentum. A team experienced in big games like the Pats (or Colts for that matter) can probalby stem that better than the Bears could. The Colts will get a lot of yards that they earned - I don't want to see them get any that they don't. It's part of the game - but if we're going to win, it has to be within the rules.
Gregg Easterbrook on ESPN.com wonders (as I do) why DBs who are beat EVER turn to look for the ball? Why don't they just wave their hands to distract the receiver - since it's legal? It seems like very few people even know that "face-guarding" is legal; I know that the announcers don't.
February 1, 2007
#52 Frank said . . .Paraphrasing P.O.'d:
We will need turnovers in order to win. MAnning has shown that he can give them up, so it's not unreasonable to think we can make that happen too.Stripping the ball is not an accident; not only do the Bears concentrate on it, they have an actual technigue that they've been taught. Watch some of them in slow mo (I have.) It's a leverage thing - it's not an accident. It's riskey, but it works given their speed becuase there are usually three or more tacklers around.
I agree that Manning is under pressure and in my opinion Dungy is not helping him out. Many people are playing this up as Manning vs Grossman - instead of Manning vs the Bears defense. Manning wins vs Grossman hands down! Too bad (for him)they aren't facing each other on the field.
So Manning is expected to win the game. If I was Dungy, I'd try to deflect that and remind everyone that they have a team too. Maybe he is - I've admittedly not paid much attnetion to his press conferences. But if so - it's not working. The Colts are Peyton Manning to the press and the Bears are Rex Grossman. Now maybe Peyton is up to the task - but what if he gets behind? Will he start to think "I'm expected to be the one that wins this game - I've got to make a play here" and force something? You'd like to think he won't (even as a Bear fan - becasue I personally like him for the most part - though there is one thing I don't like but I digress again) - but he's shown that at times he does perform poorly when he's in that situation.
If he were playing the '85 Bears defense he'd be given little chance. This team isnt' close to that, bu tthey are not THAT far away either. That's why this game is too tough to call in my opinion. There are ways we can win, and there are ways we can get blown out.
I'm just happy to be talking about it this week instead of wondering who they are going draft this year.
February 1, 2007
#53 Bill said . . .You don't think Peyton can come back from behind? Did you watch the AFC championship? I would consider winning the game after being down 28-3 to the Pats quite a significant comeback.
February 1, 2007
#54 <= SUCKS!!!! said . . .Of course he's capable of coming from behind. All I'm saying is that the whole silly Peyton vs Rex angle sets up an expectation that adds unnecessary pressue - in my opinion. But he may handle it well, even if he's behind in the game.
But obviously he HAS lost big games before. Rex, on the other hand, is not expected to win. So who has more pressure? Peyton, obviously.
February 1, 2007
#55 mikebdot said . . .Love,
Colt
February 1, 2007
#56 Frank said . . .Frank, the score was 21-3, not 28-3...then they scored a field goal to make it 21-6 before the half, then scored on opening possession of half to make it 21-13. It's a decent comeback, to be sure, but the Patriots defense isn't nearly as good as the Bears. It's really amazing looking back and thinking "wow, that 3rd and 10 conversion from their own 12 was what started the comeback":
http://scores.espn.go.com/nfl/playbyplay?gameId=270121011&quarter=0
As for face guarding not being legal, well, the Patriots defense gets away with so much holding in the secondary they had it coming to them.
Frank, if you're going to quote scores take at least two minutes to actually research what you're talking about.
February 1, 2007
#57 flo said . . .Sorry I don't have enough time in my day to look up scores. I only have enough time to waste at this blog.
February 1, 2007
#58 Chad said . . .Urlacher is a great football player. Our sports culture REQUIRES that in order to be immortalized, you MUST win the last game. So that means Dan Marino sucked? Elway was the WORST until he won the Super Bowl? Gotta win the ring or face eternal whining that says you are a loser . Not a cub sufferer but, did Ernie Banks, and Billy Williams suck? Ron Santo? Fergie!!? No way......
flo
February 1, 2007
#59 flo said . . .flo, no one says that you must win a championship or you suck.
You're just not the best ever.
February 2, 2007
#60 Chad said . . .OK So I think Dick Butkus is the best middle linebacker in Pro football history. Ray Lewis is one of the best and his team won the Superbowl. the Bears pretty much stunk throughout Butkus' run. I STILL believe Butkus is the best ever......
February 2, 2007
#61 Dave said . . .Meh, its different for quarterbacks.
February 2, 2007
#62 HooSierDaDdy said . . .Bill, although I said the Bears would probably win, here's why I think the Colts have a better then average chance to win.
The defense. The Bears defense is more of a talent and react defense, rather then a tacticle and scheme type defense.
The Bears don't try to hide what they're doing on defense. They don't really have any complicated blitz packages.
They pretty much rely on the physical talent of the front four to get to the QB.
Tacticle and scheme type defenses try to confuse you and make you do something you don't want to do. Take what you do well away from you.
With a QB like Manning he can have a field day with the Bears defense.
Look at the Pats who owned Manning for years. They were a scheming and tacticle defense. They threw alot of different looks at Payton. Manning often was confused and made alot of mistakes.
Different coverages, blitz packages. He never knew when or where they were coming from.
So, although I think Rex is a potential liability, it could be the defense that cost the Bears the championship.
February 2, 2007
#63 HooSierDaDdy said . . .Everyone should let Ken Hoofman, "the other jackass" know how absurd and idiotic it is to refer to Da Bears as "the other team." This is what I wrote to "the other jackass" at the Houston Chronicle...
In regards to your Super Bowl prediction--
Ken Hoffman, writes in Thursday's paper:
(http://chron.com/disp/story.mpl/life/hoffman/4516118.html)
"Colts 32, the other team 19."
I'm from Texas, living in Lubbock, attending Texas Tech. First, I just want to say I am not a Bears fan (though I am rooting for them against the Colts) but I am a fan of football---
"the other team????" ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? I am blown away by your ignorant, disrespectful, and just plain idiotic "phrase" you use to refer to the Chicago Bears. You should use this phrase for your hometown Houston Texans. What an elementary statement by the typical no class/no respect journalist of today's media. Do you journalist even have to know anything about your subject to cover it anymore? Have you no knowledge or respect for the game of football and its history? The Chicago Bears are, essentially, the first of 12 teams organized (first Decatur Staleys 1920, Chicago Staleys 1921, Chicago Bears 1922) in the newly formed American Professional Football Association, which later became the NFL, a league co-founded by the Bears owner/coach/hall o famer/grandfather of football, George Salas, in 1920 (and the team is still family owned, his 84 year old daughter is the current owner of the Bears). The NFC Championship trophy was renamed "The Halas Trophy" in his honor several years ago. There are more Chicago Bears inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame than from any other team, including some of the game's biggest legends (Butkus, George Blanda, Bill George, Ditka, Payton, etc, etc, ect). And they are year after year among the tops in the league in merchandise sales. The Bears ARE football, and without them football wouldn't be what it is today, if in existence at all. Go back, read up on your sports' roots and history, and have some damn respect for the great sports and teams of the past that are examples and reminders to the way athletics/sports/team/competition was intended to be and should be played.February 2, 2007
#64 jonathan said . . .Oh...and for the record I am a HUGE Bears/Cubs/anything Chicago FAN. I only told that to Ken Hoffman so he would consider my email to be unbias.
February 2, 2007
#65 mikebdot said . . .Dave -- You do make some good points, but don't oversimplify the Bears D. It's more than just talent, and while Rivera might not be the chessmaster that Belichick is, he's still playing a lot of the same games.
While you're right that they don't blitz a whole lot, they do show different looks to deceive a quarterback. Many of the Bears interceptions have been forced by having a linebacker or corner show one type of coverage scheme, then shift into another at the last second - jumping into a passing lane that would otherwise have been open.
The big question to me is, are you still right, in the sense that Manning is such a sharp reader of defenses that the Bears will not be able to fool him. I don't know the answer to that -- I'd like to think that when you add in their sheer speed and talent on top of the trickery, they have the edge. But that's why they play the game -- we'll find out on Sunday.
And, by the way, it's "tactical," I kept reading that and thinking you were talking about cojones.
February 2, 2007
#66 Frank said . . .Frank: It takes two minutes to look up a game's play by play on espn.com. If you're not going to take two minutes to do so, I'm going to call you out every time, especially when the "point" you're trying to make just doesn't sound as good when you use the actual data.
February 2, 2007
#67 Bear in the Sand! said . . .Folks,
It's been fun. Best of luck to your Bears.
Bill-I'll hear from you on Monday.February 2, 2007
#68 Frank said . . .I am a die hard Chicago Bears fan who lives in the U.S. Virgin Islands. When I was about 8 years old, I saw Walter Payton rush with the style, aggresion and grace that convinced me that this was the team for me. I hope the bears crush the Colts because I have been waiting for this moment for over 20 years. I have taken countless years of criticism for cheering for a team during the Cowboys, Patriots, and Giants era. The Defensive line has to hold Rhodes and Addai to less than 120 yards combined and put a tremendous amount of pressure on Manning. Oh yeah, for the record, the only Payton worthy of being immortalized is spelled with an "A" not an "E" and the only Manning worth talking about is named Ricky. GO BEARS!
February 3, 2007
#69 Frank said . . .Good game bears.
February 5, 2007
Bill said.....
"If we get called for penalty that isn't a penalty, like NE did, I'll say that too. (Face-guarding IS NOT A PENALTY. Look it up - there have been MANY commnets on that the last couple of weeks!) If we suffer a key injury that limits our ability to exucute a phase of the game we need to win, Ill say that too.Now - will the anti-Bears posters do the same if the Bears win? We can talk back and forth all we want - the outcome is not influenced by anything we say. Will you admit it if Rex has one of his high rated games (he's had 7, you know)? If we run for 160 yards and control the clock - will you admit that you coudl have seen that coming (Colts gave up 4.00 yds per carry in the post-season, so if we run 40 times....)? If the D is up to the task and holds Manning below average, will you admit it?"
Well......
The way I see it, the Colts O-line dominated the Bears D-line, Urlacher was taken out of the box chasing the long routes, and the Colts ran right through that Bear's defense. By doing this, the Colts ate the clock and forced Grossman to throw up some desperate passes and rush the offense.
February 6, 2007
Here at DaBearsBlog, you are free to kill us or the Bears as you so wish. You are not free, however, to be an asshole. So if you spew racism or ill-meaning foul language (cursing about football is just fine) or anything of that ilk, your comments ain't gonna last long, jerk.