Rex Grossman is the starting quarterback for the Chicago Bears now. Week one. Week seventeen. The playoffs. I can write a haiku about last night's pick six and an epic poem about all the fumbled snaps but why risk carpal tunnel. The preseason is about debating who should wear the burnt and navy but the preseason is over. Two weeks from today the Bears play the San Diego Chargers.
The truth is if he wasn't the starting quarterback I'd miss him like hell. Sexy Rexy has become a microcosm for the Coney Island roller coaster of life. Sometimes everything feels like a forty-five yard completion to Bernard Berrian. Sometimes all you seem to get are first downs. Sometimes you score at will. Other times you find yourself diving to the turf for botched snaps, hoping for another shot. When things go well, you're the Highlander. You're immortal. When it rains, the levees break. Maybe that's why I like him so much. Being a sports fan is about an intense emotional investment in fifty-three men you have absolutely nothing to do with. In terms of an emotional investment, Rex Grossman is the last half hour of Field of Dreams. As soon as you've listed your fists in celebration of James Earl Jones' "baseball" speech, you're opening your palms to wipe away the tears as a father and son share a catch.
Rex Grossman is the starting quarterback for the Chicago Bears now. As if there was any chance he wouldn't be. There'll be more interceptions, I know that. There'll be fumbled snaps, I'm sure. There'll be moments when I'll step off my bar stool and up into the street to smoke a cigarettes (I don't smoke) to calm the urge to commit a homicide. But boy does he have some right arm. Quite possibly the best this organization has ever had under center.
In two weeks, San Diego. Until then, we stay silent on DaBlog about Rex Grossman. Now it's on Rex and Rex alone. Two weeks. San Diego. Bear down.
#2 Phillip said . . .Silence is golden. Well done Jeff, good post and great blog.
Go Bears.
August 26, 2007
#3 mikebdot said . . .I need someone to build me a time machine so I can skip those two weeks. Bears.
August 26, 2007
#4 Phil from SATX said . . .Phillip: Just freeze yourself in the snow like Cartman did...worked for him...
Jeff: Great post. I will try to refrain from dropping the R-bomb in the next few weeks.
Possible topics for conversation:
1. I hope Hester is ok to start in two weeks. Same with Harris. Ayanbedajo should be fine since he has to sit out the first four games anyway...
2. How about that Brad Maynard run for a first down? That strength training might have helped get the extra yard or two to get to the FD marker without risking a serious hit by a defender.
3. No way Drisan James makes the team.
4. Rideau didn't start due to injury. Does this seal his fate?
5. Sounds like Turner just ran the ball over and over the 3rd and 4th quarter. Is this true? I didn't stick around to watch after the half. I suppose I could read the play by play, but, well, what else are we going to talk about?
August 26, 2007
#5 big rob said . . .Jeff, you're coming strong for the new season. Another great post.
As far as topics, my timing was bad on the Favre thread and no one bit, so I'll include my schedule talk post again in the hopes there will be comment.
Here's what I like - I like that we get a chance to prove ourselves against the elite of the NFC - Cowboys, Eagles, Seahawks, Saints. Run that gauntlet and you've proven to be a very stout team, plus faced stiff competition on the way to the playoffs. The only AFC power we're facing is in the first game - Chiefs and Broncos can't be counted as such anymore, although still no slouches.
I ran my mouth a few threads ago and said we've got to beat the Chargers, then its gets easier. It really doesn't. It's a pretty stout schedule when you look at it.
What does the board think are going to be potential losses if any? Obviously the first game is going to be a tough one, but assuming we clear that hurdle, how does everyone feel about the Cowboys game (a must-win as far as I'm concerned)? Next hard one is Eagles, away - if McNabb is healthy that one should be interesting. When's the last time we faced McNabb and how did we do? I seem to remember us beating him.
3 games later it's another chance to beat the Seahawks, did it twice last year and should be able to do it again. 6 games later still season closes against the Saints - call that a loss because we won't need it. Plus Rex'll be partying since NYEve is only a day away.
The other great thing about the schedule is the hard games (at least as I'm defining them) are all very nicely spaced throughout the season. With 6 games against our friendly, worthless and weak division-mates, plus Giants, Raiders, Redskins, Chefs and Broncos, there seems to be plenty of time to regroup between the tough games. Plus a perfectly placed Week 9 bye.
Thoughts?
August 26, 2007
#6 Em said . . .they beat us in the the first round of the playoffs last time we played them.... the eagles that is..
August 26, 2007
#7 Phillip said . . .Fantastic post, and I agree about Rex. Until he shows me that he can't pick himself up after a bad throw/fumble/whatever and get on with his game, I'll support him as the starting QB for the Bears.
I've heard from so many people that "being a fan shouldn't have to be this hard," but that's wack. No one ever said being a fan was going to be easy, and that counts for all teams in all sports, not just the modern-day Bears. Why do they think "Bear Down" is our mantra of choice?
(Sorry for the splooge, Jeff, and hi, this is my first time commenting despite having religiously read your blog for a year now.)
August 26, 2007
#8 Hester 4 President said . . .Ya know, there -is- still another preseason game to go.
Oh, wait, it's against Cleveland.
I will watch anyway. Trainwrecks are fun!
August 26, 2007
#9 Jimbo said . . .Nicely done.
Good thing Hester is allright, I was a little worried.
August 26, 2007
#10 mikebdot said . . .To all:
After you've devoured the Trib, Sun Times, Da Site, and any other paper or site you visit for Bears news, you may consider the Daily Herald (dailyherald.com).
The writing isn't up to par with the above but it's someone else talking about the Bears so it's nevertheless worth a read.
If anyone has any other source that I may be overlooking, I'd love to hear about it.
August 26, 2007
#11 mikebdot said . . .Phillip: Trainwrecks are not fun to watch...well, I suppose it might depend on the time of day.
One December day a few years ago I had to make a supplier visit. I live in Evansville, IN, due south on US 41 from Soldier Field. Plant visit was in Indy. Well, I decided to leave for the visit in the morning, rather than staying in Indy.
Decided to go north on US 41, and catch I-70 in Terre Haute (mostly because I went to college there) instead of the quasi-safer route of I-64/I-65 route which is East/North rather than North/East.
I've made that trip quite a few times going to Chicago/South Bend/Indy. Just south of Terre Haute there is a town called Sullivan. There are two railways that run through it, both just south of town. As I start the trip north, I realize there is a bit of snow on the ground. Maybe 1 or 2 inches, no big deal. It gets thicker, but only mildly to maybe 2-3 inches instead. The plows had come out and fixed up the right lane real nice. No problem. At least, for me.
I left at probably 5:30 am, so I was already good and coffeed up by the time I get to Sullivan.
The railway furthest south of Sullivan crosses the road at an angle so the North bound lane hits the tracks maybe 50-60 feet to the north of the South bound lane. There is a median between the two about 80-100 feet wide.
As I approach said railway, I'm jamming to my tunes, probably Tool or Barenaked Ladies. There are three of four cars between me and the railway. I notice the lights turn on, so I begin to slow down, about 1/2 mile away. After a few seconds, I see the train to my left (west). It's getting close to the southbound side, maybe 1/4 mile. A few seconds later, the car closest to the track on my side of the road loses control and runs into the median. The train has made its way to the south bound traffic lane traveling close to 50 mph. The car proceeds to hit the train dead on the metal V at the front of the train just as it passes in front of the south bound traffic.
It was the craziest shit I have ever seen. Of all the places that car should have swerved it was INTO the train. I will say this though, that train prevented at least two cars in the south bound lane from being involved in this accident.
I didn't stop to check things out as I HAD to get to Indy, but I called 911 immediately and they said the rescue crew was already on the way. I have no idea if anyone in that car died. It looked like an old stationwagon from the 80s. Like a Gremlin only long. All I remember is the guy jumping out to see if the people in his passenger seat and back seat were ok. I think they were probably asleep and the driver was just in a zone where he had no idea the train was coming until he decided to slam on the breaks. Bad move. He probably would have beat the train if he was just oblivious entirely...
Train wrecks are not fun to watch. They certainly make the adrenaline pump though.
August 26, 2007
#12 Max said . . .Jimbo: I'm addicted to this forum:
http://www.webwaymonsters.com/phpBB2/
They post articles from most papers. Doubt it's legal to do that, but whatever. It provokes mildly interesting discussion...sometimes...
August 26, 2007
#13 Rancid said . . .Hey mike, wasnt it Brendon Ayenbadejo who got hurt?? Cause Obefemi is the one who has the 4 game suspension. just wondering
August 26, 2007
#14 Midway Monster said . . .Max, mike: it is defenitely Brendon with a bruised knee and Obafemi who is suspended. Brendon was quoted as saying that he would've stayed in the game if it wasn't preseason, that's how insignificant the injury was.
In a side note Obafemi has got to be pissed. How do you name one kid Obafemi and the other Brendon. I'd be pissed.
August 26, 2007
#15 mikebdot said . . .I am behind the teams choice of Rex (even though he is the Phil Mickelson of QB's). No complaints from me, I've said my peace. For the next 2 weeks he needs to work on the center exchange and we need to realize we are spotting most teams an INT.
Beat the Bolts
--Midway--
August 26, 2007
#16 StartOlsen said . . .Max: Yeah...I guess all the Ayenbadejos look the same to me...
August 26, 2007
#17 StartOlsen said . . .Damn you mikebod, and your #3 post. you summed up most of my thoughts on the SF game.
My biggest fear all preseason was an injury to a key guy like Hester. We got lucky....Bradley looks so good when he catches the ball.. Im developing a man-crush like Mike Golic. Tall, smooth, fast, strong... it took three guys to bring him down after the big catch he made.
Benson looked good again. Wolfe looks so quick.
finally, my new favorite bear is big Dusty.
Last thought- how many good kick returners can one team have? apparently we have like 6.... so quit letting Vasher and Berrian go back there.
Let it be Sept. 9 when I wake up tomorrow, please.
August 26, 2007
#18 Phillip said . . .yes, I said Benson looked good. Fire away. I don't buy everything written in the fucking Trib. He ran hard, and bullied his way to a TD. He caught the ball and blocked. He did get stopped short by the D line, but should he be breaking the uncontested tackle of a 300# man? Or should somebody have blocked sopogoa?
August 26, 2007
#19 jeff said . . .Wow - mikebdot, that's intense... I was referring to trainwrecks as they apply to football games. I've known two people who have been hit (and subsequently died) by real trains. It's not a pretty business.
On the lighter side, I bet LT will be able to tell us what it feels like to be hit by a train, once Tommie Harris bumps into him.
August 26, 2007
#20 Jimbo said . . .you know two people who've been hit by trains? where do you live? the old west?
August 26, 2007
#21 big rob said . . .Nothing like going to bed with visions of #8 to Berrian dancing in my head.
Gotta love these NFL Network replays.
August 27, 2007
#22 Al in WI said . . .after having watched the first half of this game Benson did have a few good flashes.... looks like he's gonna be a stud....
August 27, 2007
#23 Max said . . .I agree with StartOlsen, Benson looked good, the shaky part was the o-line blocking or rather not, on some of those plays. But I'm not concerned as they are all vets, and it took a little while last year for the ground game to take off.
On a side note regarding NFL Net, anyone else had enough of the stupid viva viagra commercials every break? Enough, I don't want to think about old men singing about their hard on's at all, let alone during a game.August 27, 2007
#24 StartOlsen said . . .If Rex plays like he did last start, then the run game will open up in the second half. . . at least thats what I tell myself.
August 27, 2007
#25 Coxy said . . .Thank you AL! that commercial is driving me nuts. I went on my golf-walk with my wife this evening, and bitched to her about it for a good 20 minutes.
Lets face it, we have a real love-hate relationship with Rex. Man, when he looks good.... he looks fucking great. He picked the niners apart.
by the way, the StartOlsen thing was a spur of the moment when trying to decide on a name... no serious thought to it. However, I am starting to believe my own hype...
bear down, fuck the chargers, and check Merriman's locker cause Bonds called and says he wants his tube of "the clear" back.
fuck the whole AFC west. best division my ass- we'll see.August 27, 2007
#26 mikebdot said . . .Brother just called and said Lance Briggs' lamborghini was totalled on the Eisenhower and he fled the scene.
Dont know any details or anything, but....
August 27, 2007
#27 AK said . . .He's trying to upstage Vick...
August 27, 2007
#28 AK said . . .Hey Jeff, this is the second time some moron tries to pass off fake information on the site. The last time was "Damn" who claimed Hester was done for the season (#49 - If You're Not in Chicago...) And now its #25 - "Coxy"
Is there any way to do an IP check and get rid of this guy? I think he's the same troll.
August 27, 2007
#29 Phillip said . . .My mistake, looks like the whoever drove the car, left it there on the highway. God I hope it wasn't Briggs....
August 27, 2007
#30 Pissed off said . . .Jeff - Nope. I grew up in rural Arkansas next to a really really busy freight line.
August 27, 2007
#31 Phil from SATX said . . .Site blowing up, all posititve at least. I really gotta start blogging on weekends! Damn!
Since we are in America and this is a public forum I will mention Rex, not a lot though. I'm not going to play the "whaddaya think of him now" card cuz that gets old. I knew I would be able to say it just like I did a few times last season when he followed up a bad game with a good one and I will be able to do it this year if need be. (hopefully he'll be consistent all year though and there will be no calls for his head).
Bottom line I think Rex is a different QB this year. His passes on Saturday night were crisper, sharper and more accurate than ever. Its going to be an awesome year for #8. He will make mistakes, INTs, fumbles, but what QB will not? Tell me? I just cant quite explain how good it made me feel to watch him. He looked really good.
Now on to other things, Benson was a workhorse but I dont know why he wasnt picking up more yards, maybe the blocking, maybe the niner defense is really good, maybe Benson will leave us wishing for TJ and not show he's worth the #4 pick. I dont know but it was a bit frustrating.
Glad to see Hester is OK, WHEW!
Drissan James cant make the team.
Glad Bradley was in good form, that guys is a playmaker.
Berrian will be our #1 WR this year. It wont be Moose, not anymore, Berrian is too fast, and too good.
I love the D, all of it, I dont know what else to say, Its better than last year if thats possible.
August 27, 2007
#32 Pissed off said . . .I hafta echo PO'd, trying to stay away as instructed but a little difficult to comply. However, I promise I'll only be positive. I was thinking about the Rex n' Pep article and the very interesting drills he was running to help Rex deal with the pressure, where Pep himself would be an unblocked rusher and Rex had to deal with it.
That made a lot of sense - but there's no way such a drill can emulate a real game, right? So how much improvement can we expect from a summer's worth of doing that? I am certain there will be a measurable amount of improvement, I feel like I already see that. But he's got to get used implementing those lessons in real time, against real enemies. And he's doing it, but to expect that there won't be mistakes? Come on.
It is ALL going to be good this year, I'm very psyched about the offense and the defense looks stronger than last year, maybe even significantly stronger, making questions arise as to how good this unit can become? Very anxious and excited to see the sack impact of a more attacking defense under Babich.
Again, it's all good, and in the few plays I was able to watch last night (full viewing scheduled for tonight), I was VERY excited about Rex. He looked great, and he can drop one or two exchanges every game this year as long as he falls on most of them - he may have small hands and a tendency to pull out too early but what an arm on this MF.
Go Bears!
August 27, 2007
#33 Mike said . . .I did read that Rex n Pep article yesterday too in my subscription to SN. I sure hope he eliminates some mistakes. It sounds like Pep is more hands on than Wade Wilson, I also noticed that Wade declined comment? Hmmmm
August 27, 2007
#34 Dude, where's my car? said . . .For whatever reason, I have uneasy feeling about 2007 version of the Bears. Three significant worries.
One, an aging and thin (in my opinion) offensive line. I fear that this front five is going to get pushed around big time. The two bookends, Tait and Miller, concern me the most. One or two injuries and the Bears run the risk of having a truly disastrous line situation.
Two, Rex Grossman. Interceptions for touchdowns, fumbled snaps, major inconsistency.... it keeps on happening. Is Grossman a playoff caliber QB? In my opinion no.
Three, Tommie Harris. Last season we learned the value of Harris. Quite simply he is the most important member of the Bear defense. I get the impression that when he does eventually get on the football field his level of play will be significantly different for awhile. That's not good.
Prediction....11-5.
NFC East...Dallas
NFC Central...Chicago
NFC South...Carolina
NFC West...Seattle
NFC Wildcard...New Orleans, San Francisco (you read that right)NFC Champion...???
August 27, 2007
#35 Phil from SATX said . . .The $350 thousand Lambroghini owned by Lance Briggs was wrecked and abandoned on the Edens Expressway last night. I'm guessing that Briggs was either higher than a kite or drunk and quick ditched the scene before the Illinois state police showed up. Good to know he is making wise investments with his $7.2 million salary too. Oh well, only one year of Lance in a Bears uniform.
August 27, 2007
#36 jeff said . . .As a Bears fan, here's hoping Lance has a buddy who's willing to take the fall for this one, regardless of who was actually at the wheel. This is a 4 game (plus?) suspension we don't need. He doesn't have any history of doing this kind of shit, does he?
August 27, 2007
#37 big rob said . . .it won't be a suspension. nobody got hurt...it'll go away.
August 27, 2007
#38 Dude, where's my car? said . . .I just hope no one saw him leaving a bar or anything and tries to snitch on the man.... I am sure there would be no shortage of people taking the fall for him.... good thing we have Vick to take away all the media attention.... Shit I would say I was driving....
August 27, 2007
#39 Phillip said . . .You know, I didn't think about a possible suspension for Briggs. But it would seem to me the advantage is on his side. Since he wasn't found at the scene, he can always claim that the car broke down and/or he was in an accident and had somebody pick him up. But the counter argument will be then why didn't he send for a tow truck to pick up his $350 thousand automobile. I'm sure Briggs is sitting in his lawyer's office right now coming up with a clever excuse for this incident.
I'm long past the point of being surprised by these type incidents. Fact is a lot of professional athletes these days are undisciplined gangsters with money burning a hole through their pocket. Briggs was very likely drunk or on dope or involved in a high speed race on the Edens Expressway when something happened.
August 27, 2007
#40 Phil from SATX said . . .Chicago papers have picked it up: http://nycbearsfans.com/blog/lance-briggs-lamborghini-found-side-road
August 27, 2007
#41 Coxy said . . .For the second day in a row I find myself completely disagreeing with David Haugh, a guy I had personally placed on a pedestal as the best and most reasoned Bears newspaper guy.
He wants to see Griese start the next game, and he gives lots of different reasons for it, some of which are contradictory. He says, for example, that starting Griese wouldn't create a public debate about who should start for the Bears. It wouldn't? If Griese was flawless, not a single Rex hater wouldn't argue even louder that there should be a QB controversy?
He says Grossman has absolutely nothing to gain by playing in another meaningless game. How about some more experience implementing the Pep lessons? How about more confidence?
He says if Griese flopped with the first team offense might raise questions about the depth of QB. To what end? We have who we have at QB, nothing will change that this year. He's either going to be good enough as a backup (should one be needed) or he won't be. What good is it to know for sure that our backup sucks? It'll help in the off-season, but it won't help this year.
Then he says if Griese excelled with the first teamers, Bears could spin that as making him worth the millions spent on him as an insurance policy. No, the spin needed would be about why his good play doesn't mean there should be a QB competition. They're not worried about justifying Griese's salary to anyone - they're worried about further ignition of QB controversies.
The whole article is like that, to me transparent in the fact that Haugh wants Griese and not Rex. It's a stupid idea - a better one is to give Rex all the snaps we can before the regular season. We're going to see Griese in the regular seasson only if disaster strikes - and if that happens, all we'll have is Plan B - and whether Plan B is good enough or not, we'll know then, but we won't know now based on him starting the last preseason game.
Stupid, stupid stuff. Haugh, let's see your A game! Season's about to start!
August 27, 2007
#42 Mike said . . .AK - Learn by it.
August 27, 2007
#43 Ed in CO said . . .I happen to agree with David Haugh. Which is saying something, because normally I can't stand the guy. If some people want to paper over the continuing troubling play of Rex Grossman, then by all means go right ahead. The Bears need to find out what they have in Brian Griese in the likely event he will be called upon to rescue the Bear offense from Grossman or if Grossman goes down with injury.
Burying your heads in the sands isn't a strategy. Denial over the QB situation will come back to bite in the ass. Lets get this thing out in the open and deal with it now.
August 27, 2007
#44 Jokey said . . .Anyone have more comments about Mike's post, #33 on the o-line? I think that the Oline is better at pass protection but not so good at run blocking. I didn't see a lot of push or openings by the line in the first half, or the lst preseason game either. At first I thought Benson was slow, but looking at some replays it looked like he was waiting for the line to make a hole, and when nothing appeared he had to push for just a yard or two.
On spread plays, the line looks slow. They can't get out in front of Benson fast enough to get a good block on a linebacker or safety before Benson turns the corner. Is it the line or is it Benson? Unfortunately I don't know enough to really tell the difference.
We have essentially the same line as last year, and there were several games where we didn't get a 100 yard rusher. The line didn't give up too many sacks, but there were 20 interceptions, and some would argue that many of those were force throws under pressure. So is it good defences? or poor o-line?
August 27, 2007
I am somewhat concerned about Benson and I suppose I will be until he breaks a tackle, gets into some space, and busts a big gain. His blocking is not an issue. He engaged a blitzing linebacker and pushed him clear across the line to the left tackle and created a huge lane through which Grossman laid a beautiful 30 yard pass to Clark to the SF 19 @ 8:51 in the first quarter. I would have missed it not been pointed out by Da Coach. It was a big time block - more of a clear-out or a takedown than a block. Grossman's pass was so sweet - it arced perfectly and dropped right into Clark's numbers.
Is anyone other than me gonna miss color by Da Coach when the regular broadcasts start?
August 28, 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.