This is the final weekend for you to order the official DaBearsBlog tee-shirt and koozie for the 2012 campaign and receive it by the beginning of the regular season. The cutoff is definitively Tuesday, July 31st. We have received more orders than I could ever have imagined. It’s pretty terrific. (We will continue taking orders for the shirts but the second round will not be filled until early October.)
The shirts are pictured above. To see the koozie, CLICK HERE.
Note: We’ll be cutting off the first round of tee shirt and koozie sales on July 31st. Just so you all know we have received over $1,000 in orders (and then some) so’s going to take us a few week to process this round of orders. If you DO NOT order your tee shirt or koozie by the July 31st deadline YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE THEM BY THE BEGINNING OF THE REGULAR SEASON.We will be filling the second round of orders around the first of October. Click here to reach the original order post and get your orders in now.
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Expect greatness. Nothing less.
The fans remember 7-3 – a team surging up the inane Power Rankings that fill national sport media web pages on Wednesday each NFL week. They remember 7-3with an enigmatic offensive coordinator putting his quarterback and line in poor positions on almost every other down. They remember 7-3 without a bona fide #1 wide receiver lined up on the outside and with a fella called Hanie charged to keep the house warm for the winter. They remember 7-3. And On the Lakefront, they coulda been a contender.
That’s where expectations begin. 7-3. Except new GM Phil Emery has ensured losing the starting QB will not mean a broken bungee cord for the 2012 campaign as Jason Campbell’s strong arm now backs up Jay Cutler’s. Brandon Marshall (trade) and Alshon Jeffery (draft) have instantly become the most exciting/promising Bears receiver tandem since the underrated ’95 duo of Jeff Graham and Curtis Conway. A rash of potential impact rookies and collection of depth-providing veterans have also made their way to Halas Hall thanks to Emery and company’s understanding of what makes a championship NFL roster.
There is only one true question mark on that roster: left tackle. And nobody, not even the most negative of Nelly’s, is naive enough to think sub-average play at that position from either J’Maligned Webb or Priss Williams (that’s a low blow) will sabotage a very talented roster. (Just look at the number of elite left tackles to hoist Lombardi trophies over the last decade and you’ll realize how easy the position has become to compensate for with scheme.)
Are there specifics attached to this season’s expectations? Yes. There have to be. If the Bears fail to make the postseason – even in a deep NFC field that may require eleven wins – Lovie Smith must be walked to the front door of Halas Hall before kickoff of the wild card round. Don’t even bother with the cliched cardboard box bit. Just throw all his things in a bag and slap a Big Sandy, Texas label on it.
If the Bears do make the postseason, they must play well there. No double-digit road loss in Philadelphia or the Meadowlands. No last minute fumble in San Francisco or special teams blunder in Atlanta. Lovie Smith and company have shown fans they are capable of winning playoff games with a talented roster. They have also shown us they’re capable of failing in the brightest of lights. The postseason in 2012 is a must. But a solid showing in that postseason might be of even greater importance, as the pessimistic fan will argue a change in short-term football leadership will ultimately yield greater long-term rewards.
For me, it all starts at home. The NFC North. And whilst the rest of the football world will surely pen the Green Bay Packers as champions of the division before I have my first cold beer on Labor Day weekend, I believe the talent gap between the two sides is nowhere near as wide as some perceive. My expectation, my personal expectation for the Bears is not making the playoffs. My personal expectation is for the Bears to win the NFC North and host a postseason game at Soldier Field – preferably after taking the WC round off. I then expect them to win that game and play, at the least, in the NFC title game.
Why? Because I believe they are a top two team in the NFC. It is the Bears and the Packers. The Saints have no coach. The Giants are not a regular season juggernaut. The Eagles are a chatty group of underachievers. The Niners will be asking the genie for a fourth wish. Bears. Packers. Emery has done his job. Now it’s time for Lovie and the players to do theirs.
I am not big on the whole ranking and listing thing that permeates every orifice of the internet these days. Everybody has a five this or five that or three guys that need to do this in order for that to happen. It’s all crap and nobody cares. (I may put that phrase on the next tee shirt we make.)
Here are five questions I have as training camp approaches.
#1 Who is going to be the starting left tackle?
Either J’Marcus Webb or Chris Williams is going be the starting LT, with the other sliding into the flex tackle role. For the sake of the organization I truly hope Williams wins the job triumphantly. Not only because I think he’s the more talented player but because I think Webb’s time spent at both ends over the last two years will be an asset as the season progresses.
#2 Will Alshon Jeffery earn his starting spot in camp?
Simple enough. With rookie receivers there is always something of a crap shoot. Will Jeffery show up? Will he play his heart out? Will he provide that complement to Brandon Marshall the Bears will desperately need?
#3 Is Shea McClellin the answer opposite Julius Peppers?
If he sacks the quarterback, he is. But we won’t know if he can sack the quarterback until he meets Andrew Luck in September. So basically this question has nothing to do with training camp.
#4 How will the other rookies factor into the base offenses/defenses?
Evan Rodriguez as a full-time fullback/h-back? Brandon Hardin cracking the starting lineup at safety? With this roster the rookies will be the most interesting collection of players to watch throughout the next six weeks.
#5 Can they stay healthy thru the summer?
Ultimately this is all I care about. Everything we hear and read about Bourbonnais is usually deceitful lies emanating from the highest offices of Halas Hall. All I care about/dread on a daily basis is seeing the phrase, “Urlacher helped off the field” or “Cutler carted off”.
TEE SHIRTS CONTINUE TO SELL…
So we are cutting off the first round of sales on July 31st. We’ll then process all orders the first week of August and get the product out to everyone. (I would imagine around the 15th) If you want a tee shirt or koozie guaranteed to you by the start of the regular season you need to get your order in by July 31.
The shirts are pictured above. To see the koozie, CLICK HERE.
I started a conversation on the Twitter a day or so back and it became a rather intriguing sports debate. Now I send it to you, my loyal readers, and I expect you will not be horribly swayed by your penchant for loving a certain ballclub that plays its football between a highway and a large lake.
Rank the QB-RB-WR trio, #1s only, of Chicago, Detroit & Green Bay. It is a fascinating debate once broken down. The Packers have a substantial advantage at QB but Stafford v Cutler is a legitimate debate with Cutler coming out slightly ahead. The Lions have the biggest advantage in sports at WR but Jennings and Marshall is a legitimate debate and – I believe – Marshall comes out slightly ahead.
That leaves running back and Matt Forte has a significant advantage over James Starks and whomever the Lions tread out there.
Here is how I do the rankings:
Aaron Rodgers – 95
Jay Cutler – 88
Matthew Stafford – 82
Calvin Johnson – 100
Brandon Marshall – 90
Greg Jennings – 89
Matt Forte – 92
James Starks – 82
Lions Backs – 70
Total Points:
270 Chicago
266 Green Bay
252 Detroit
TEE SHIRTS CONTINUE TO SELL…
So we are cutting off the first round of sales on July 31st. We’ll then process all orders the first week of August and get the product out to everyone. (I would imagine around the 15th) If you want a tee shirt or koozie guaranteed to you by the start of the regular season you need to get your order in by July 31.
The shirts are pictured above. To see the koozie, CLICK HERE.
FORTE SIGNS FOUR-YEAR, $32 MILLION CONTRACT
Really? Is that all?
After a year of grandstanding and a borderline public relations war in the city of Chicago, Matt Forte agreed to stay with the Bears for a rather pedantic 4-years, 32 million. He got nowhere near DeAngelo Williams money. He didn’t even get Arian Foster’s guaranteed 20.75. Maybe deadlines spur deals like this finally being signed but on first sight this seems a contract that could easily have been signed six months ago. Either way the Bears will now enter training camp relatively drama free.
TEE SHIRTS ARE SELLING LIKE WARM CAKES
So we have never had demand like this for either the tee shirts or the koozies. We knew these would be popular this is somewhat ridiculous. We are sticking with the plan, however, and cutting off the first round of sales on July 31st. We’ll then process all orders the first week of August and get the product out to everyone.
On a personal note, thanks. We put a lot of time and artistic energy into making this the best possible shirt we could and I’m glad to see those efforts validated by your orders. If you want a tee shirt or koozie guaranteed to you by the start of the regular season you need to get your order in by July 31.
The shirts are pictured above. To see the koozie, CLICK HERE.
The initial orders have been terrific for the new tee shirt and koozie. In order to make sure everyone gets their deliveries by the start of the regular season, we are setting the cut off date for the first collection of orders at July 31st. We’ll then process the orders and have everything sent out within a few weeks.
The shirts are pictured above. To see the koozie, CLICK HERE.
I am off to New Orleans until Tuesday morning. I leave you all to discuss the developments or non-developments of the Forte situation. I am retired from that topic.
UPDATE 7/10/12: Demand has been terrific for the tees thus far. We are going to cut off sales for the first round and file orders on July 31st. This way every shirt/koozie will arrive at your front door with time to spare before the start of the season. Get your orders in!
The official Bears blog tee shirt for 2012 is now available. We did not raise the price, keeping it at the symbolic $19.85. As with last year, you can get two shirts for the even-more symbolic price of $34. (The image of the tee shirt is listed above. The type for the back of the shirt is quite small and tasteful.)
We are also putting the official DaBearsBlog koozie up for sale but we are short currently. To see the excellent koozie, CLICK HERE. On the tee-shirt option there is Koozie Only for $10 (all prices include shipping). We can not accept orders for more than 1 currently.
The shirt was conceived by Reverend Dave, designed by the great Mike Lapinski and will be made by my boy Jared.
Just go ahead and write in the comment box what color (we have both the orange and navy base) and what size (S, M, L, XL) you’d like. If you’re ordering multiple shirts just write: Orange – XL, Navy – S…etc.
We’re going to send out the orders in large shipments. The first shipment will go out over the first ten days of August. We’ll then do another shipment after the season starts. If you want a shirt for opening day, place your order now!
Apologies if you have shared this video below but I hadn’t seen it. Evan Rodriguez has been favorably compared to Aaron Hernandez. (I would imagine because of the structure/ethnicity of their names.) If the kid on this video shows up in Bourbonnais, he will be a big part of the base offense.
Drew Brees just spent a few minutes on WFAN’s Boomer & Carton radio show in New York. During that time he made it clear he believed the following: (1) the NFL’s investigation was unfair, (2) there was no evidence of a pay-to-injure program inside the Saints locker room and (3) he believes the individuals accused (especially Scott Fujita) are innocent of the charges levied against them.
I have one question. One simple question. And the answer to that question will end the discussion for me.
If Gregg Williams accepted his punishment for orchestrating a “bounty” program inside the Saints locker room, didn’t someone on the Saints have to be involved?
It may sound naive but why has Williams gone AWOL on the entire discussion? This is the man who issued the following statement in the wake of the penalties issued:
“I want to express my sincere regret and apology to the NFL, Mr. Benson, and the New Orleans Saints fans for my participation in the ‘pay for performance’ program while I was with the Saints,” Williams said. “It was a terrible mistake, and we knew it was wrong while we were doing it. Instead of getting caught up in it, I should have stopped it. I take full responsibility for my role. I am truly sorry. I have learned a hard lesson and I guarantee that I will never participate in or allow this kind of activity to happen again.”
And I don’t want to hear this semantics bullshit surrounding pay for performance and pay for injury. Gregg Williams was not suspended indefinitely for rewarding a defensive end’s sacking of the quarterback with an Aspen ski trip. He was not suspended indefinitely for throwing a corner a grand after a big interception. He was suspended because he encourage his players to injure the opposition and he knows that.
Williams can end the Hargrove debate. He can end the Vilma and Fujita debate. He can even end the debate of Joe Vitt’s involvement. If these players were not involved in the program, why hasn’t Williams come out and exonerated them? If Vitt did not endorse the program, why doesn’t Williams make a statement?
The problem is this: Williams never claimed innocence. He accepted his role from the outset because he knew his guilt and his acceptance of guilt IMMEDIATELY INDICTS OTHERS IN THAT LOCKER ROOM. The defensive coordinator can not run a bounty program on his own unless he is running onto the field, tripping quarterbacks and poking wide receivers in the eyes like Moe. He can not run a bounty program on his own unless he is sneaking into the opposition’s Ramada the night before games and dropping hemlock into ice vending machine.
I don’t want to hear anything else from the players or current coaches about evidence. Boo-hoo-hoo. Your defensive coordinator admitted guilt and I hold every single individual in those defensive meetings accountable. If you want to maintain your innocence, fine. If you want to clear your name, great. Call Gregg Williams and tell him to make a statement.
No? I didn’t think so.
NFL ALL-22 TAPE IS ONLY $70
We’ve clamored for it a long time and it is now a reality. The NFL is making its All-22 (coaches) tape available to every single fan in the world – on the internet – for only $70. I have a bunch of random thoughts on this development:
ONE MORE THING ON THE BOUNTY SCANDAL…
And it’s a question. Gregg Williams admitted to his role in the bounty scandal. He has accepted, without appeal, his indefinite suspension. So if the defensive coordinator admittedly orchestrated a bounty program with the New Orleans, how are all of the Saints defenders denying involvement? Did Williams do it himself? Did he pay Joe Vitt to hurt players? Isn’t this truly the only piece of evidence Roger Goodell needs?
Also I continue to love players complaining about THINGS THEY AGREED TO IN THEIR CBA! What happened during that negotiation, exactly? They agreed to franchise tag continuation and not a single player in the NFL wants to accept the franchise tag. They granted Roger Goodell full authority on disciplinary measures and now the NFL player Twitter world is exploding with idiocy calling him a “tyrant”. I don’t get it.
TEE-SHIRTS! TEE-SHIRTS! TEE-SHIRTS!
We are entering the last phase of production. Tee-shirts will be available by the tail end of next week. We’ll then take orders for a month or so and send out the first shipment all at once. (A limited number of DBB koozies will also be available.) Stay tuned.
