What a difference a year makes. Last July at this time I was counting down days until Bears training camp opened. This year when someone told me it opened in a week, I was floored. I could not believe it was approaching so fast. The explanation for the two vastly different attitudes towards Bears camp, has been the success of my beloved Cubs this year and impending feeling of doom regarding the Bears.
Last year at this time it was like the Bataan Death March watching the Cubs. They sucked and that is an understatement. The team had no passion and played like they didn’t give a shit. With Dusty “Sleepy” Baker at the helm there was not much reason for optimism. He kept running the same sad sack lineup out there day in day out. He never tried to tinker with the lineup or bench someone who underperformed. Nefi Perez was in the lineup wasting away and being a Cub fan was not a whole lotta fun.
Thus, in 2006 at this time while I was still a Cub fan, it did not give me much pleasure. So, my sports attention was focused on the Bears. They had just come off a NFC North title and a playoff appearance. The team on paper looked improved, with the promise of a full year of Rex Grossman fueling our towns hope that maybe it could be our year.
Of course we all know what happened. The Bears came out of the gate like gangbusters and whipped up on the competition to the tune of a 13-3 regular season and their first trip to the Super Bowl since the magical 1985 season.
As Spring Training approached this year, I was cautiously optimistic about the Cubs. They at long last spent some money and on paper were a contending team. Also, the Cubs finally fired Dusty and brought in one of the best managers in the game in Lou Pinella. I had long been wishing that Sweet Lou would be brought in to manage my beloved Cubs and it was a dream come true when it came to fruition.
The season started and the Cubs basically blew a tire the first two months. To say I was disappointed would be a stretch. However, since June no team in baseball has been hotter then my Cubs. Lou tinkered with the roster and the lineup until he got a team he liked. All of the sudden Cub games have become appointment TV. It is so much fun watching this team play, I can not describe it. It is a complete 180 degree turn from last year.
So, with the Cubs gaining all of my focus, I kind of forgot about the Bears. Or, maybe I have just chosen to forget them, as I don’t have a lot of hope for the upcoming season. I could be wrong but, they have made a lot of moves that I just don’t get. Trading Thomas Jones for basically nothing boggles my mind. All this guy has done is go out there and rush for over 1,000 yards two years in a row. While he is no world beater, he is a solid NFL back. The Bears drafted Cedric Benson (AKA the new Curtis Enis) and they have to justify paying him so, they trade away Jones.
Plus, without Tank in the middle and who knows what Lance Briggs is going to do, I don’t see how this years team is better then last years. We got to the Super Bowl and lost. So, instead of going out and improving the team, Bears management made the team worse. God knows I hope I am wrong, and in their weak ass division they still may go 10-6 but I don’t foresee another trip to the big game. But, I could care less if the Cubs keep playing the way they are. Maybe this October could be magical after all.
1 Comments:
Yes, the Cubs are very entertaining and I am getting quite used to their winning. I always feel like they're in the game no matter the score. It is fun watching them now as opposed to the beginning of the year.......and of course the Bears got worse......I am not optomistic for another divsion title but...very weak division gives them a shot. Rex has got to get better if they have any chance. But, I am still focused on the Cubbies. I will be at the July 27th game in Cincy with 6 of my co-workers.....wearing my Cubbie blue with pride.
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