…and it shouldn't. Professional football is not a Thursday night sport. It should start on Sunday. The first game should be at 1 pm ET. If you want to make a big deal for the Super Bowl champion, give them the Sunday night game. Sunday is a holiday for a lot of us and Thursday night cheapens it.
NEW HEADLINER
Phil from SATX has spent the last few seasons playing to sold out crowds in the lounge and we’re moving him to the big room, where he’ll debut writing the in-game column Sunday night. (Note: The game columns will feature quarter-by-quarter updates this season from a host of writers.) Phil has not only been one of our most consistent contributors but one of our most insightful and passionate fans – never as starkly on display as when he responded to a Super Bowl defeat.
WHAT ABOUT THE SUPER BOWL CHAMPION?
I watched every Giants pre-season game and this Giants team is pretty good. They have a nice offensive line, good backs and a solid receiving corps when they’re all on the field. I know Osi had 13 sacks last season but he had 6 in one game. They’ll be losing half a sack a game otherwise and I’m confident Spags (arguably the best young defensive coordinator around) will find a way to compensate.
Everybody is picking the Cowboys to win the division. Some are picking the Eagles to make the Super Bowl. Meanwhile the team that ACTUALLY hoists the 2007 banner can’t find a genius analyst in the land to put them in the postseason. I have a lot of respect for the ring and for this team. I expect them to win tonight.
#2 big rob said . . .where the eff has midway been?!?!?! no word from an old friend..... weird... get it Phil from SATX.... be the man!!!
September 4, 2008
#3 animal said . . .it is sad to see the comments of a super season gone bad.... guess we just have to hang on and have faith that the games will go are way and we are just as close are we were just 2 seasons ago.....
September 4, 2008
#4 animal said . . .WHAT? The season shouldn't start 3 days earlier for desperate, NFL starved fans? Bullshit
September 4, 2008
#5 jeff said . . .and yes, DTB, She is America's sweetheart. The moose hunting governor.
She is,
The VPILF.
Deal with it. She reformed an oil barron controlled state, ended corruption and started the gas pipeline to send our tons of natural gas to the lower 48 to support your sorry asses. But, I digress. This is suppose to be about the Bears.
We don't discuss politics here, right? Oh wait... unless it is Illinois' favorite son Obama.September 4, 2008
#6 traveling bears fan said . . .i talk politics here all the time. chat away.
and no, i hate the thursday night game. it's a tease and silly. they try and make a big deal out of it but it's impossible because 15/16 of the fans have to wait another three days.
September 4, 2008
#7 animal said . . .Phil makes passionate intelligent commentary and will take this already excellent blog to even a new level, if only Jerry Angelo could evaluate talent like Jeff.
September 4, 2008
#8 jeff said . . .That's cool, Jeff. Just know you hurt me deep on the last post.
How late do you stay up anyway? I posted at around 10 Alaska time, which is 2 a.m. Chicago time...September 4, 2008
#9 Joist said . . .it's almost 3 in ny.
September 4, 2008
#10 animal said . . .Finally!
Took me a while, but I finally found a well-written, entertaining Bears blog. It's unbelievable how much crap there is out there. I look forward to contributing comments regularly and to reading the high quality of work (at least from the archives that I've perused thus far).
Re: this post, I respectfully disagree that the Thursday night opener is a tease. I hate the fact that I have so few opportunities to watch professional football, since the season consists of so few games and they cram all the games into one day. Sure, those 17 Sundays are a veritable football orgy, but if you don't have DirecTV or you don't feel like spending your Sunday mornings (games start at 10 a.m. here on the Left Coast!) at a sports bar, you're only going to get to watch three or four of them anyway.
Therefore, I say to you, bring on the Thursday night games! The Saturday games! Anything! The more days and nights on which I can watch pro football, the better, I say.
I specify "pro" football, by the way, because I find college football incredibly boring and amateurish. It's amazing to me that people just treat it as another professional sport, when in reality, the vast majority of games are a) not close, and b) not well-played. (I should note, however, that last Monday's UCLA -Tennessee game was an exception.)
Go Bears!
September 4, 2008
#11 animal said . . .Joist, let me be the first to say, welcome. I found this site some time during our great super bowl run (Jeff why did you have to link to that post SB post? it hurt to go there). It has been the best Bears blog Ive found so far.
Jeff, Jaysus Christ, why are you still up?
Im busy working on my lapop and pounding crown and cokes, but it is only just before 11 here in Palin's home muff, er, state.
September 4, 2008
#12 Max said . . .AND, Jeff, I should say, our newcomer Joist makes a GREAT point. For those of us not in the Chicago TV market and not willing to get buttfucked by DirecTV, every Bears game in primetime or an irregular spot (NFL Network, Saturday, etc.) is a HUGE bonus for us.
September 4, 2008
#13 Idonije said . . .BRING BACK MIDWAY!
BRING BACK MIDWAY!
BRING BACK MIDWAY!
BRING BACK MIDWAY!
September 4, 2008
#14 Rancid said . . .I also agree that football on any night where I can watch it makes me happy.
September 4, 2008
#15 Phil from SATX said . . .I miss Midway too. I would love hear his take on Favre in NY. Would his hatred still be as strong? But such is the nature of blogs. People come, People go. Phil was one of the first guys to welcome me when I first arrived here and I look forward to reading his stuff during the game.
I am fairly indifferent to starting on Thursday cause its not a Bears game. I want what's best for the team and I know Urlacher and others are on record as saying that they wished they could play on Sunday at noon every week. So I don't like messing with that in general. I HATE the fact we have a Thursday game later in the year, it screws with prep and recovery. But on the other hand, if it were a Bears game tonight, I'd be a lot happier person at work today so who knows. We're almost there friends, Bear down!
September 4, 2008
#16 bfos7215 said . . .Jeff, thanks for the kind words and intro, I'll do my best.
Speaking of Midway, how about the REAL America's Sweethearts - Megan and Nicole? Where they been? Wake up girls, it's football time!
Animal, I have to take issue with one comment of yours - yeah, you know what one... wait for it...
How DARE you say that about DirecTV? I worship daily at its shrine! It's the Mecca for Bears lovers (and of course all ex-pat NFL fans). For a mere coupla hundies per year, you get to watch every single game in the luxury of home (or igloo, for you Alaskans out there)! Plus every other game!
What's not to love about DirecTV? (ps, if I've convinced you, let's talk, you get fitty and I get fitty)
Welcome Joist - you finally made it to the right place. I love college ball though - but only about 10% as much as I love the NFL. I also have ZERO problem with football starting tonight - in fact I forgot it would so now me and my football-loving spawn will be sprawled across the couch - still have to figure out which horse to pull for - I imagine it will be the Gints for the following reasons:
1) I still appreciate them doing the impossible and beating the hated Patriots.
2) Hate the Redskins and their stupid-spending owner. Like the concept that they continue to be bad.
3) Like to get the Cowboys nervous and give the Giants confidence so that they can beat the 'Boys twice.I haven't checked - anything new on tackle search? I have trouble believing that Jerry'd be okay with St. Clair and Barton for the first 6-8 games - one injury removed from a rookie getting a start at tackle. They did say that Buenning played some tackle in college, but not sure if that qualifies him now. Would still expect to hear something, although it's getting late!
September 4, 2008
#17 Phillip from NYC said . . .I've disagreed with you before. But, I don't think you could be more wrong. Have all games on Sunday afternoon so I get to watch 3 games a freaking week?!?!? Are you crazy. The Sunday afternoon regional games are usually horrible. The more national games there are, the bigger chance I get to see better games, and more importantly, a better chance to see BEARS games!
Keeps these kinds of comments to yourself.
September 4, 2008
#18 bfos7215 said . . ."Keeps these kinds of comments to yourself."
What?
You must be new.
September 4, 2008
#19 bfos7215 said . . ."You must be new."
I guess. If early 2007 is new. Keep up the good work.
September 4, 2008
#20 jeff said . . ."You must be new."
I guess. If early 2007 is new. Keep up the good work.
September 4, 2008
#21 Rancid said . . .i emailed nicole and midway recently. they're both doing fine....nicole had a huge move and midway stays away a bit in the offseason. they'll be here.
don't know where meggles buggered off too.
September 4, 2008
#22 AfroCelt said . . .Hey, good news. Since Steve Smith apparently isn't a great team guy, the Panthers have replaced him as a captain with . . . Moose. You know, since he's always looking out for the best of the team as a whole and taking responsibility for his own performance.
September 4, 2008
#23 Phil from SATX said . . .being in enemy territory means that I LOVE the nonstandard timeslots...I looked at the two schedules and I may be able to watch 7/8 of the season!
September 4, 2008
#24 RandomName said . . .We may have to wait for a boring weekend (bye week maybe) for a full-on discussion of how any serious-level Bear fan who doesn't live in Chicagoland could possibly not find it more than worth it to get the NFL Ticket. Now Jeff, who I don't believe has it, has a whole bar set up in New York to watch Bear games with fellow Bear fans. That would kick ass fo sho. But for anyone else who doesn't have that sweet setup, or for those like me who have kids and family responsibilities in addition to their Bearaddiction, I don't get why you wouldn't be doing this, like, yesterday.
What gives people?
Rancid, I had to laugh. Maybe they're using Brady Bunch-style reverse psychology on Moose. I'm thinking our D's going to be lathered up for that one. And our O needs to show Mr. Moose what it looks like when receivers actually catch passes.
September 4, 2008
#25 bfos7215 said . . .Are you ready for some football?!!
September 4, 2008
#26 Phil from SATX said . . .I had Sunday Ticket several years ago and loved it.
But, for HDTV + DVR, DirecTV is just way to expensive for me. I do pay the $10/month or whatever it is for NFL's audio broadcasts of all the games so I can listen and follow along with the gamecast.
I have been looking into some streaming internet video of Bear's games, so I may be able to do that instead.
September 4, 2008
Bfos, I told a story here back a few years ago about my 2003 cancellation of the NFL Ticket because of tough financial times in my household, and how I went to my son's football practice, and of all people a displaced Packer grandpa actually told me to go home and sign up again, that financial struggles were transient but love of the Bears was eternal and all-important (again, he was a Packer fan, but he understood that we were both equally fervent fans).
I went home and called DirecTV and reversed the decision, and many times that season I thanked Grandpa Wayne of Sheboygan for his wise words and their impact on me. Not because it was a great season - 7-9 under Dick Jauron - but I still enjoyed every minute of it. Never looked back from there - I cut other things instead of cutting my Bears (or at least I told myself I was cutting other stuff, truth was likely a little different).
Watching the Bears, live, on TV - it's worth whatever it takes - and it doesn't take that much.
September 4, 2008
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.