After two record traffic months, I want to thank Bears fans everywhere for migrating towards our little site here. I’ll be back on Friday and Saturday with a preview of Sunday night – a game which is building within me emotionally as the minutes pass. I have a feeling we here at headquarters are on pace for a sleepless Saturday night.
This has been a bizarre season of blown leads and blown calls. Of injured ankles and injured egos. Of Cover 2s and cover nobodies. But here’s the question. Who – what single, individual one of us – would not have signed up for a division lead (tiebreaker or not) after eleven games? Even I, your optimistically fearless leader, would have put my name on the piece of paper that gave the Bears an opportunity to control their own playoff destiny with five games remaining.
And that’s not the only thing we have to be thankful for today. For the Bears have in their horn aplenty things we have not had in many-a-year.
Like a quarterback…
With his remarkable poise and control at the line of scrimmage, Kyle Orton has provided reason to believe the Bears have found a stabilizing force under center.
Like a running back…
Has any young offensive player inspired this much confidence since Neal Anderson? Rashaan Salaam had a nice rookie year rushing the ball, Anthony Thomas wrestled a job away from James Allen and Cedric Benson sure looked like a future horse but Forte’s versatility, humility and toughness bring a smile to every one of us who considers "Sweatness" the best there ever was.
Like Mike Brown…
He’s still playing...after eleven ballgames.
Like the left tackle…
John St. Clair ran a gauntlet of tremendous defensive ends early in the season and held onto his starting job even with the resurrected back of first round draft pick Chris Williams. St. Clair has been the ultimate symbol of arguably the most surprising unit in pro football this year.
Like contention…
What else is there? This is a league where getting into the postseason means you have shot, even the slightest shot, of winning it all. The Bears have that shot on Thanksgiving.
#2 Max said . . .FIRST BABY
November 27, 2008
#3 Shady said . . .I agree with all those thankfuls. What else am I, as a bears fan, thankful for?
I am thankful for. . .
. . . The Detroit Lions quest for the perfect imperfect season.
. . . Not seeing number 4 in a Packers uni
. . . Having tickets to Bears vs Packers MNF December 22
. . . Mike Brown.
. . . Robbie Gould
. . . Josh Beekman. I love that St. Clair has exceeded expectations but ya have to give some love to Beekman cause otherwise it would be Terrance Metcalf in there.
. . . Brandon Lloyd (first half of season and his potential)
. . . and George Stanley Halas because he created my first love.
. . . Animal, because he has got me beat so far. I have been trying to do 100 votes a day but I missed Sunday so the advantage is yours if you have kept on pace. I am about to go try and make up for lost time now.Enjoy Thanksgiving everyone, and be thankful everytime you turn and see the Lions continued demise and be thankful you arent a fan of theirs.
November 27, 2008
#4 Max said . . ."Sweatness"? I think you've committed Bears blasphemy.
November 27, 2008
#5 Max said . . .hmm. . . Guess I was a little redundent there. Just means I am really really thankful, thats all
November 27, 2008
#6 Willie from Chicago said . . .HA. Word Shady, nice catch
November 27, 2008
#7 Willie from Chicago said . . .There are lots of things I am thankfull for. Im thankfull that I lasted another high school football season in almost unharmed, Im thankfull that we have DAbearsblog, Im thankfull we have Jeff writing for dabearsblog, Im thankfull that we have smart Bear fans (and WCPF) on this site and I am thankfull that I have the Bears. Win or loose, they are my pride and joy... And Tommorow, I will be thankfull that I am not a fan of the grease fire that is the Lions.
BEAR DOWN.....
Have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
November 27, 2008
#8 Pet Peeve said . . .Sorry for spelling thankful wrong in my last post.
November 27, 2008
#9 mikebdot said . . .I'm thankful for YOU Willie. Thank you.
November 27, 2008
#10 Joseph said . . .No negativity from me here...
Thank you all for providing me with endless hours of entertainment and a forum to rant about whatever.
Jeff, thanks for using your keyboard like a 3 dollar whore uses her tongue.
Thank George Halas.
Willie: I'm thankfull for lose women...
November 27, 2008
#11 Ram in S.A. said . . .I'm going to treat my toilet like a Minnesota Vikings helmet this time tomorrow!
Bear Down peeps and have a Happy Turkey Day to all!
November 27, 2008
#12 mikebdot said . . .Thats a big fat AMEN, I'm glad to see there is as many loyal fans as I am. The Bears are my only true conection back to what I will always call home, Chicago. Thanks for everybodys insight, and have a good Thanksgiving!!!!!
November 27, 2008
#13 Willie from Chicago said . . .Corey Graham is going to be getting more playing time...
Vasher out indefinitely.
http://www.chicagobears.com/news/NewsStory.asp?story_id=5397
Broken hand.
November 27, 2008
#14 Spanish Bear said . . .After 2005, Vasher has not been the same, he has become a very average corner.
November 27, 2008
#15 Divine Hester said . . .Happy Thanksgiving to you guys from Spain!!!
November 27, 2008
#16 Willie from Chicago said . . .Thanksgiving doesn´t mean much over here in Germany so i send my best wishes overseas. Have a nice day guys and gals!
Special thanks to Jeff for passionate, inspiring bearsblogging, to Mike B. for sharing his tremendous football knowledge paired with sharp analysis and of course to the ever optimistic Phil from S.A.T.X. for cheering me up over (too many) losses! Football beats soccer any day ;-)
PS. Do the Lions suck or what?!
November 27, 2008
#17 KentuckyBearsFan said . . .The NFL needs to do itself a favor and pull the Lions from thanksgiving, the NFL wants to put out its best product, not a dumpster fire.
November 27, 2008
#18 CA BEAR FAN said . . ."Sweatness?" Are you referring to The Fridge? Yeah, the Fridge did have a great TD run in the Super Bowl, but Ditka really should have given the ball to Walter P. That was a great 2-back lineup in the day: Sweatness & Sweetness.
...
But seriously, the main reasons for thankfulness during this NFL season (ranked) are
1. Orton
2. O-line
3. ForteThese were HUGE questions during pre-season. I don't think anyone would have thought we would have been this fortunate with our top 3 pre-season concerns.
November 27, 2008
#19 CA BEAR FAN said . . .I love my CHICAGO BEARS... I am THANKFUL TO BE A BEAR FAN!!!
BEARDOWNNovember 27, 2008
#20 Max said . . .I love my CHICAGO BEARS... I am THANKFUL TO BE A BEAR FAN!!!
BEARDOWNNovember 27, 2008
#21 zisk said . . .I say keep the Lions. Its tradition and its the only time the Lions make it on national TV. Millen is gone, they will be better next year ( not saying much considering where they are this year) but regardless, Lions and Cowboys are Thanksgiving traditions IMO.
November 27, 2008
#22 NittyGritty34 said . . .I'm thankful that even though I'm on guard duty I'm doing what I would have done anyways. Read da blog and watch the lions get spanked.
November 27, 2008
#23 zisk said . . .Are you people all forgetting something?
I'm thankful for Turkey, potatoes, stuffing, gravy, rolls, green bean casserole, and pie. Mostly pie. Pie, you've made my life very rich and satisfying. I will always love you.
Turkey Down People! Turkey Down!
November 27, 2008
#24 Homer Simpson said . . .I'm thankful for turkey and gravy. That nobody made me finish the monstrositythey called stuffing. And that my phone gets signal out in the field. But most of all that I'm not a lions fan. I feel like people should be sending them a dollar a day like you do for orphans in africa.
November 28, 2008
#25 Windy City Packer Fan said . . .Mmmmm Pecan and Pumpkin pieeeeeeeeee
November 28, 2008
Thanks Willie. I am thankful for all of you that recognize my passion for football discussion...regardless of where my loyalties lie.
November 28, 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.