FanNation - The Republic of Sport

I have been a Bears fan for over 20 years, and just like bgduece It's killing me to see Jerry Angelo do nothing to improve this team. I too order sunday ticket every year so I can watch my Chicago Bears and I make the point of flying out to 1 to 2 games a year from California which is not cheap. To see the Bears do NOTHING so far in free agency shows a complete lack of concern towards us Bears fans who shell out good money to follow this team. There are so many holes on this team we're starting to resemble one of those stupid cheese hats the fans in G.B. wear. Unfortunately, I believe the ultimate fault for what's going on (or not going on) in Chicago lies with the McCaskey's. for much of the 20+ years I have followed Da Bears I have seen a once proud organization in a major market thoroughly embarrase itself and it's fanbase. I will ofcourse continue to follow the Bears, and in return the McCaskey's will continue to take advantage of my blind loyalty. I just know somewhere Papa Bear must me turning in his grave.

I too have been a Bears Fan for 20 years. I have watched all the games because the Bears are a Chicago team. Its about being a Chicagoan and being proud of our team. I think the time has come to start thinking twice about supporting the Bears. Especially since they can't seem to change. I too think its Jerry Angelo and his staff that makes this team no not to be proud of. Here are 2 things I propose (to myself - if not to my fellow fans) - 1. Stop going to the games. I usually buy tickets each year and this year I will not buy one ticket. The owners and Jerry think no matter what they do - the revenue keeps flowing in so why change? Why bring in better players and advance the team when the fans are obviously content - they buy tickets every year. There is a 10 year backlog for season tickets. They are the "oil cartels" of football. when you can charge what you want for a product why make it better? STOP BUYING TICKETS. 2. I propose we call for a second NFL team in Chicago. Studies have shown that the market can support 2 teams. I say lets support our new team - The Chicago Ogres (BIG BAD & UGLY)! Yes Ugly - cause I'd rather take that than the current state of the Bears - HORRIBLE! That will introduce competition, reduce ticket prices and maybe teach the McCasky's a lesson. This is a democracy and you've lost your chance! Lets all write in to mayor Daley in support for a 2nd Team.

i am a born Chicagoan. The management of this team, not coaching, is gut wrenching and sickening. Every year I begin going through the range of emotions just hoping my team will succeed, only to fall terribly in rankings and statistics failing either in the playoffs or missing the playoffs altogether. Every year the media has high expectations for this team and find the same results bears fans are left with every year. It's really a sad state when folks outside the bears organization can clearly see the organizations problems, but within they are in a bubble with their blind expectations. Management is wasting talent on this team. I know it's a business, so I don't blame guys for getting paid what they can. At times you can clearly see it on their faces. Players play the game, but why does this team waste years, YEARS, accumulating high talented players with and expectations only to be missing key positions players to consistently win the division and succeed in the playoffs? I too am a Direct TV NFL Ticket purchaser and I do not want to see the talent of Hester, Forte, Briggs, Urlacker, Harris and other wasted. I am disgusted. This GM and the McClasky's decision making reminds me of an old man rocking in his chair on the porch of his log cabin in the backwoods. They do things the way they like and they're not going to change.

You guys are all idiots - keep in mind that the bears played a tough schedule last year (vs. NFC South - Carolina, Atlanta, TB, and NO and the AFG South - Indy, Tennessee, JAX, and Houston) and still finished the season with a winning record. Keep in mind that if Charles Tillman doesn't punch a lineman late in the TB game on 4th down we are a playoff team. Look at this team going into week 9 (when Orton hurt his leg)...4-3, but those three losses at Carolina, which Greg Olsen fumbled away, at TB, which Tillman decided to give up an automatic first down on 4th and a mile from the 1-inch line, where a 5 yard punt return would put us in FG range to win, and at Atlanta, where a squib quick gave the game away in the last 11 seconds. Bad teams don't have opportunities to start a season 7-0 against a difficult schedule, and the Bears were knocking on the door. A little discipline, and a little ball control, and this current roster can be great.

The Bears definitely have some holes to fill, but I am confident that this team will continue to play well with a little help on the offensive line (a young center, and a starting tackle will do) and defensive backfield (where we set the standard for letting bad quarterbacks look great). Fans like you make me sick - WHAAAAA!! WE DIDN'T OVERPAY FOR A "STAR" PLAYER, THEREFORE WE WILL BE BAD, I AM SO SAD, I SHOULD GO B$#%^ ON A MESSAGE BOARD!. Seriously, go become a fan of the Redskins, we won't miss you at all.

Answer to dkbergen - Great Piece. It certainly tempered me down a bit. That's what these boards are supposed to do right - show both sides of the story! I am not concerned about signing BIG name players. But here is the issue I was trying to make - Its the same story every year over year! Maxwell Smart couldn't have said it any better " We missed it by that much". Well that's been the story for as long as I can remember. Even the year we went to the super bowl " we missed it by that much". The point is - we could have won all those early games last season but we didn't - again we missed it by that much!

As much as I am trying to lay the blame on Jerry and company deep down I think I agree with the philosophy - don't overpay underrated players or players who we have no idea how they are going to perform - Adam Archeleta comes to mind. What a crock of $%^&$.

But something's gotta give. We have got to fix the problems we have. My main concern is the QB and the WR spots. We wanna run the ball but we cant open up the field because Devin's double covered and Davis keeps dropping the ball. Yes my man Marty had a catch in the end zone -but most of the time he was nowhere to be seen. The line is getting OLDER every day. So to fix that we draft Williams very well knowing he's got back issues. Thats the kind of stuff that frustrates me. I do have to admit I was very excited about Jay Cutler rumors. I think he can really make an impact here in Chicago. I do think we need a young receiver who is looking to learn and be TO. Defensively - Urlacher has seen better days - something is clogging his mental abilities and ruining his focus. Tillman needs to simmer down and pay like the star that is. Too bad for Mike Brown because we really enjoyed having him here! And I can remember the idiot on the O-line that could not hold his ground last season. Jared Allen whipped his butt EACH & EVERY SINGLE TIME!

dkbergen...
You are the most un-educated idiot I have ever seen on these boards...first of all, Chicago has so much money to spend under the salary cap it is funny...Like 29 MILLION dollars, for this season alone...but the problem is that Jerry Angelo does not know what to do with it...if nobody ever came to Soldier Field and saw a game, they would still make money just from the TV contract alone, and since every game is a sell out, with a ten year waiting list for season tickets, this franchise does not have any financial problems...For one they need a QB...Kyle Orton is a journey man back up, and will most likely be out of the league in 3 years, second they need an offensive and defensive coordinator...They also need better position coach's...the fact that an awesone talent like Rex Grossman did not get any better is due to poor coaching, young talent has to be developed and then nutured in the NFL... example...Peyton Manning threw 23 INT his rookie year, but a good coaching staff was able to develop his talent to the Pro game and let his raw ability shine...Chicago has never had a coach like that...now since Jerry Angelo is just blatant incompatent, why should the entire franchise suffer...and I totally agree with you, that Chicago gave away three games, and by winning any one of the games, they would have made the playoffs, and by winning all three they would have been the Number 1 seed from the NFC with tie breakers, despite Kyle Orton...this team is very talented, and is only 2 to 4 players away from being a consistent playoff contender, and you can not tell me that you can not get 2 to 4 quality players with our salary cap space, plus it is about to go up again...in my mind these positions would be...a starting QB...a possesion WR...a third down back...and a starting guard...at he 18th pick, you will not likely draft someone who is going to be a starter...so you need to look at Free Agents, these are people who have proven themselves in the NFL as quality players...now what they will do is try to sell, the idea that they beleive in the young talent they have, to sidetrack the issue...but as long as Jerry Angelo, Bob Babich, and Ron Turner are in Chicago, they will not win consistently, and Bears fans deserve more than what we have received from the Senior Managment of this team, and that is the chance to win and win big. Now if you want to get real about this team, it is easy to stop them on offense, no team has any fear that Kyle Orton can beat them deep, and he has proved that...Chicago is the only team where the QB did not complete a pass that traveled thirty five yards in the air, when every other team had a minimun of five...so that means 8 or 9 in the box, and you only have to play a portion of the field...so we could get T.O. Chad Johnson & Larry Fitzgerald & Randy Moss, and still be an 8 and 8 team...you figure out the problem...If you can not figure out one of the most important problems I just put in front of you, you do not understand football...but I hope the Bears go 16-0, but I do not think it will happen...but the thing I look forward to most are new coordinators and a new GM...because after this year, they can not blame Rex Grossman, or anybody but themselves...looks like a long year...

Big deuce - feel free to follow Dicky J and TO up to Buffalo, but the brand of football you are calling for is disgusting to me. The Bears scored the 13th most points in the NFL last season, it's completely inaccurate to say they are easy to stop. Their (rookie) RB had over 1700 yards from scrimmage, and even with a low-budget cast at WR, Orton played great, and at times looked better than Grossman could ever hope for, and despite being treated like a journeyman by management early in his career, he has acted professional and earned the respect of the entire locker room. Sure, we don't have a big name WR, and if the opportunity to obtain another playmaker at WR comes around, we should consider our options, but it's important to not overpay - and that entails much more than dollar costs. A 2nd year underacheiver in Cedric Benson almost tore the locker room apart, so getting a "proven NFL veteran" who thinks his way is best has a much higher cost than continuing to develop our young talent. Sure, teams might have tried to play 8 or 9 up last season, but we scored enough points and won enough games to show that we are capable of being successful if teams want to try to shut down our running attack. And with Forte's success, you are an idiot for trying to say that defenses playing up is a problem - I think the Bears handled it really well. Maybe we didn't have many completed deep passes, but I don't care if we gain yards on a completed pass or a pass interference penalty. Either one of those can set up scoring drives, and I am sure if you account for the interference calls that Hester generated, we would be much closer to the league average.

(By the way "...you figure out the problem...If you can not figure out one of the most important problems I just put in front of you, you do not understand football"... you right like an email spammer with a Nigerian $$$ scam, I don't really feel inclined to offer a counter to this - just make sure you have a point before you tell someone they don't understand football.)

Big deuce - feel free to follow Dicky J and TO up to Buffalo, but the brand of football you are calling for is disgusting to me. The Bears scored the 13th most points in the NFL last season, it's completely inaccurate to say they are easy to stop. Their (rookie) RB had over 1700 yards from scrimmage, and even with a low-budget cast at WR, Orton played great, and at times looked better than Grossman could ever hope for, and despite being treated like a journeyman by management early in his career, he has acted professional and earned the respect of the entire locker room. Sure, we don't have a big name WR, and if the opportunity to obtain another playmaker at WR comes around, we should consider our options, but it's important to not overpay - and that entails much more than dollar costs. A 2nd year underacheiver in Cedric Benson almost tore the locker room apart, so getting a "proven NFL veteran" who thinks his way is best has a much higher cost than continuing to develop our young talent. Sure, teams might have tried to play 8 or 9 up last season, but we scored enough points and won enough games to show that we are capable of being successful if teams want to try to shut down our running attack. And with Forte's success, you are an idiot for trying to say that defenses playing up is a problem - I think the Bears handled it really well. Maybe we didn't have many completed deep passes, but I don't care if we gain yards on a completed pass or a pass interference penalty. Either one of those can set up scoring drives, and I am sure if you account for the interference calls that Hester generated, we would be much closer to the league average.

(By the way "...you figure out the problem...If you can not figure out one of the most important problems I just put in front of you, you do not understand football"... you right like an email spammer with a Nigerian $$$ scam, I don't really feel inclined to offer a counter to this - just make sure you have a point before you tell someone they don't understand football.)

dkbergen
Not trying to be funny...are you on dope...in September 2006 Rex Grossman was the NFL player of the month...something that Kyle Orton could not do, even if he played the Lions every week. The style of football you are talking about truly sickens me and all true Chicago Bear fans, and that is loosing, with out even trying to compete...in the NFL if you do not compete for the best talent, which Jerry Angelo does not do, you lose!!
For your information, the Bears start with the best field position of any team in the entire NFL, due too the threat of Devin Hester, and when you work with short field you have the opputunity for easy scores. Now you say this team is 13th in scoring, this is true stat wise, but if you take away the 48 points against Minnesota (field Position) and the 61 points against the Lions in two games (Rex Grossman comeback)..this offense would be no better that 27th in the league in scoring...these three games really bloat the season totals. Now I can not even call you an idiot, that would be an insult to idiots...you are ignorant, and have no idea what you are talking about. All these under achievers you say the Bears Have, Grossman, Benson and lets continue like Chris Harris (Pro bowler for Carolina),Marc Columbo (Pro bowler for Dallas) Thomas Jones (Pro bowler for Jets)...and the reason that I added those additional players are, they played for the Bears, and were traded or released for being under acheivers...I dimiss your whole concept...This comes from poor coaching, and that is position coaches and Coordinators...who should be held accountable by Lovie Smith...Now the Bears have over 29 MILLION dollars available to spend under the salary cap. The salary cap is not like roll over minutes, where you can use them next year, you just lose an opportunity to compete. Gettng back to the coaches, it is their job to develop their young talent, and make them better...every other team does, and then they go out and get missing pieces in free agency...how can we get better when our coaches can not develop their young talent, and then the GM does not sign any free agents...how do you win...Kyle Orton...enough said...this team has the capabilty of being a laughing stock, every team in the division is gotten better...except the Chicago Bears, now that sickens me.

Wow - comparing Grossman and Benson to Chris Harris, Marc Columbo and Thomas Jones is a bold move, bigdouche. We had to give up Chris Harris (a 6th round pick, by the way) because homer fans such as yourself were calling for big name acquisitions, and his roster spot had to be given up to make room for the free-agent bust signing of Adam Archuleta. I am sure you were very happy when the headlines came out that we spent so much money on a high-profile name, only to get pissed at the waste of money and lost talent down the road. Stay with me on this - I am all for the Bears getting better, but catering to big name FA **** and their agents, along with overhyped rookies are the sole reason we lost Chris Harris and Thomas Jones. So I beg you to understand that I am calling for the Bears to be a better team with a sustainable plan for continued success, and in the NFL that in no way means you have to go out and overpay for big name, big ego, high cost "talent". Like I said before, please become a fan of the Redskins, and let the professionals in our front office do their job without having to cater to your stupid ideas. I bet you want them to draft a WR in the first round, right, and think it will be an outrage that they aren't addressing this?

Your "analysis" of the Bears offense is ludicrous - half of the games that the Bears played in this year (just to make sure you know, football teams in the NFL play 16 games, so that means 8) where against teams that finished in the top 13 in scoring defense in the NFL. I have even added a link so you can look this up for yourself:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/stats/2008/team_defense/0_by PTS_PER_GAME.html

My only point is that the Bears should always be trying to improve, as any NFL team should. When stupid "fans" like you accuse management of being inept at their job - if they have to stop what they are doing for even ONE SECOND to address you, you are taking them away from the actual important work that they have. We need offensive lineman and defensive backs, and the names this year in the FA pool are not very impressive, but we got a tackle that can play guard, too. I am sure by the time we are done with the draft, we will have some promising new talent too. And I am convince that this team will be able to compete well next year. If you don't, you are either a Packer fan posing on here to rile people up, or not a real fan.

One more thing - your stats on our cap room are completely misleading:
http://www.askthecommish.com/salarycap/numbers.asp

We are 18th in the NFL in salary cap space - the $23 million available will more than likely be under $5M after we sign our rookie contracts.

And please, before you come back with any half-witted remarks or comments, please think about them while you are typing, and provide some sense of fact over opinion.

You are wrong again...the Bears are 20 Million under the salary Cap, you will be able to 9.5 Million for players no longer on the roster, or layers who did not make their incentive...that equals around 29 Million like I said...and it is suppose to move to 33 Million.

Worst shape:
Arizona Cardinals $2.1 million over*
Indianapolis Colts $230,850 over*
Washington Redskins $103,000 over
Baltimore Ravens $961,000 under
St. Louis Rams $6.2 million under
Detroit Lions $6.8 million under
Carolina Panthers $7.8 million under
Dallas Cowboys $12.5 million under
Denver Broncos $16.7 million under
New England Patriots $17.4 million under

Best shape:
Miami Dolphins $44 million under
Jacksonville Jaguars $42 million under
Buffalo Bills $39.4 million under
Tennessee Titans $39.2 million under
New Orleans Saints $39.2 million under
San Francisco 49ers $37.4 million under
Tampa Bay Buccaneers $32.9 million under
Minnesota Vikings $32.7 million under
Cleveland Browns $32.5 million under
Chicago Bears $30 million under


Now what

bigdousche & dkjerkin.......way to built occaisionally decent arguments around a bunch a BS babble. you are the weakest links.......GOODBYE!!!!

bigdousche & dkjerkin.......way to build occaisionally decent arguments around a bunch a BS babble. you are the weakest links.......GOODBYE!!!!

If you understood the process, you too could participate...it is a shame that you lose right out the gate...what a clown

dkbergen...Wow...since you are a stat man...look this one up...

defense...http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/statistics?stat=team&pos=off&a mp;league=nfl&season=2&year=2008

offense...http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/statistics?stat=team&pos=off&a mp;league=nfl&season=2&year=2008

This team ranked 26th in overall offense out of 32 teams
This team ranked 21th in overall defense out of 32 teams

It seems that only you and Jerry Angelo think that we do not need to improve.

Learn what you are talking about, before you try to lecture me.
This is over.

I'm glad you are completely ignoring my point ****. Of course we can improve - but the point of your letter was to express outrage at not making big moves in the last 2 weeks as evidence that our owners and management are putting profit taking over building a winning football team, and I have simply been trying to point out that that is not true, and an irrational way to view the Bears. We had the 8th highest payroll in the NFL last year, so I am trying to point out that they DO spend money, they just have a different philosophy than your short-term interest, headline making style that destroys most football teams. Personally, I am very happy that we didn't spend $100M on Albert Haynesworth or overpay for the receivers and QBs available, non of which would have improved our team like good drafting and player development can do. The fact that you constantly ignore this in all my posts tells me that you are just a **** who trolls message boards without considering anything other than your knee-jerk reactions.

Please re-read my posts, and quote where I claim that we do not need to improve. Of course we do - but things are not as dire as you claim, and management that gets stonewalled by their fans into thinking they have to act, and act big, in order to appease them usually make really awful long-term decisions, and as a Bears fan, I think it is important to try to prevent that from happening.

You obviously do not understand...this team has not picked up any Free agents in two years...We don't even franchise are own stars, so that they don't catch 99 yard passes against us, to put us out of the playoffs...do you read the papers, or are you just trying to defend stupidity...My point is that the General Manager Jerry Angelo is incompatant...Now either you are just a dumb ass, or are some how connected to the front office...don't you see that NOBODY has your point of view...Now I will give you credit on this, you are a Bears fan, and you probably want to win just like I do, but that is it...Now if we would have given Albert Haynesworth a $100M contract, the pressure that the two DT would bring, would take this defense from 21st to a top 5, that means you do not have to blitz EVERY play to bring pressure...this is useless, you are not worth my time having to explain the game of football to you...get a book, read it then come back...you have been wrong on most of your facts (Salary Cap)...and this is getting old...understand the game before you open your mouth, and remove all doubt of how stupid you are to this game....If you feel that you need the last word,you can write a book, I will not respond...

Dear Virginia McCaskey,
Please make them sign a legitimate starting quarterback.

That's all I'm asking Santa for.

You've lived too close to Dan Snyder for too long - when you move away from Virginia, I am sure you will see how stupid you sound. I bet you want the Bears to go hire Steve Spurrier as their coach too, right?

Are you an idiot - you would be happy if the Bears spent $100M on Haynesworth? - sure, he's a top level player, but he has had trouble staying on the field for an entire season (whether injuries or suspensions), and even when he is eligible, only plays on 60-70% of defensive snaps. Yeah, our defense would be better if he was an asset that we could take advantage of, but not at that price - that is insanity. Do you really think if he was worth that kind of money Tennessee would have let him go? The Titans are definitely a well-run organization, and the fact that they passed on making such a large investment in ONE player, who will only be on the field for 1/3 of the game, should speak volumes about how bad of an idea that strategy is.