Dan’s coverage of how the NFL solicits PSL’s and season ticket sales got me fired up. I am finally ready…to watch television!
The Bears open the pre-season tomorrow night in Buffalo. For decades the pre-season games were a reminder to me of the change of season to come. Summer to autumn. The days are getting suspiciously shorter with the crickets and cicadas getting louder each night (out here in the country at least).
Before I was married (over a century ago) some friends and I would go to a local bar called Al’s Tap located at the Indiana Illinois state line on US 30 to watch Bears pre-season games which usually took place on Saturday nights. Recently games are being played on any night of the week. Follow the money.
Over pitchers of Special Export or Augsburger beer we would talk about the upcoming season, stuff like if this rookie named Walter Payton would be what they claimed. How about that new quarterback from Maryland, Bob Avelini? Was Buffone too old? I liked the new defensive safety Doug Plank based on his Ohio State reputation. Watching the pre-season games enabled me to either get excited about the upcoming season or tone down my enthusiasm.
Remember the Honey Bears? Back in those days my boss’s daughter was a Honey Bear. She was a very hot redhead with great personalities and came, cough, to the office frequently.
As a mature (but feisty) middle-aged fan I don’t go out to bars on weekend nights, or any other night either. Like George Thorogood, I drink alone. But I plan on having a late afternoon private backyard tailgate cookout with grilled 1 ½” Ditka-style pork chops, fresh sweet corn on the cob and then settling back to watch the Bears pre-season spectacle at 6pm tomorrow evening.
The expectations of the media are high this year because of the surprise off season acquisition of Jay Cutler from Denver. I like him too because he’s from Indiana and comes with a pedigree. But I have doubts he will generate a new age passing game for the Bears this year. He has no receivers to catch his passes. Early on I predicted tight end Greg Olson and running back Matt Forte would have the most receiving yards in 2009. Training camp reports prove I may be correct. It will take a season or two for the Bears to draft or sign some pro-quality wide receivers. Unless Hester sells his soul to the devil this season could look just like the last one come playoff time.
Today in the Chi-Trib there was a gushing report about the mystical passes Cutler is capable of throwing.
Since the Bears haven’t had “golden arm” in decades who can blame the female reporter’s awestruck report complete with a (“how in the hell does he do this amazing thing?) graphic.
From the article:
“Some say it's a zip. Others call it a zing or a whoosh or a whisper. Still others claim it's a whistle. A hum, anyone? Do we have a hum in the house?” Note: This IS a female reporter.
And this gem:
“That's because an athlete such as Cutler has a magical arm. "A rare arm -- very, very rare, a God-given gift," said Bears general manager Jerry Angelo during training camp last week in Bourbonnais as Cutler's tight spirals split the air with whip-crack speed.”
Angelo should be promoting the new arm, acquiring Cutler is his last ditch attempt to return the Bears to the playoffs, and retain his job. After the loss to Indianapolis in the Super Bowl it’s been all downhill. But for now I am looking forward to see if Cutler can find receivers better than Jerry Angelo can.
For now, I am on the Bears bandwagon for this season even if I am sitting on the tailgate ready for a quick, early escape.
In other NFL news...
Ex-convict, felon and dog murder Michael Vick signed with the Eagles last night. Will fans bring milk bones to toss when Vick straps it up and takes to the field during road games? I sure hope so. This heartless ass tortured dogs in ways that...well...you google it. He's a sicko and has no business being paid 1.x million to play the game this season. He's dead to me. I prefer dogs to heartless thugs. Call me old school.
If road game opponents are smart they will play this during every Eagles time out on stadium sound systems at full volume.
And crank it up!
3 comments:
That article is pretty funny, like Cutler is the first to invent the technique on how to throw the football. But really we haven't had a QB since McMahon (except for the Eric Kramer random fluke year) so I am not surprised about all the gushing.
You are right, he has nobody to throw to, but you never know, Earl Bennett could be the real deal eventually. Olson and Forte will both end up in the pro bowl after they have huge seasons.
Bring back the honey bears and get rid of that awful drum corps
Don't get me started on the drum corps.
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