Red flags concerning Cutler?

I wouldnt say it was all on the wr, there were times all night when jay cutler locked on 1 wr and threw there! it seems earl bennett was the only one he loked to when hester looked hot! he needs to do a better job of looking off those dbs

This is why I stay away from making predictions. For all the talk about Cutler's 4 INT's I'd hold him responsible for only one. In the first half he saw nothing but green jersys and green turf on almost every pass play and his receivers consistantly quit on routes. The failure to get in the end zone with 1st and goal on the 5 yard line was in no way Cutler's fault. Forte had not been getting much between the tackles all night why would Turner think it would be any different at that time? Admitedly Cutler looked a bit frustrated and lacked some poise in the first half but regained his composure in the second half and except for the final INT manged the offense quite well. Don't ask me how or why but I saw that pass coming on 3rd and one (maybe it's because in a situation where you're obviously not going to punt on 4th down I would take a shot at the big play myself then go for the 1st down if it failed) and was hoping to see another sack. All in all what I did see was that with some improvement of receivers there is reason to believe this team could be a contender.
Stu, I believe it is about time the Bears had an on the field leader in the MJ and Ditka mold to go along with Lovie's calm soft spoken demeaner. Let Cutler ruffle their feathers and fire them up and let Lovie sooth and stroke their egos. A bit of good cop bad cop if you will or MJ and Phil if that analogy suits you better.

Stu, great article...I totally agree about your Jay Cutler comments. Naturally, I'm hoping that his style is and will be as successful as Michael Jordan in terms of his teammates. You're probably right that he'll need to temper this part of him. For one thing MJ had totally proven himself prior to his edgy relationships with teammates. That's a huge difference! Jay is still comparatively a bit of a question mark.

I already posted my game comments on the last Bears' thread.

The Bears were not better on both sides of the ball. The turnover ratio was +4 in favor of the packers. Their only offensive threat in Forte lacked any sort of burst. Cutler has no weapons as Olsen was double teamed all night bc their is a significant lack of WR talent. It's going to be a long year.

Why blame WRs when we don't know IF they were the reason Cutler was upset they were not where he expected them to be? Even his best buddy didn't connect with him until late in the game and he thru errantly to him earlier. Plain and simple, Cutler was doing too much and trying too hard. The announcers actually said that he told them he had jitters. He knew that a every team and player was watching and he wanted to do great things. That happens. I just don't want to think that a whole team of WRs are messing up that badly. Cutler was angry everytime something didn't go his way. He was angry when the officials didn't see that his WR got grabbed. His picks all came right after someone dropped a pass or he didn't connect the way he wanted to. A guy can not play thru anger. You have to channel aggression. Nothing good comes out of angry playing. Now, I admit that I did see guys do stupid things. I saw a weak RB get hurtled by someone as if he wasn't there and a sack resulted in that. I saw a TE tackling his own man on the sideline because it looked like he was confused. I saw guys get tackled and mangled,including Cutler, and I didn't think that it was right but I'm the guy at home not an official. Mannelly's blunder was just as bad as anything. Special teams did their job but a long snapper thought too long and too hard to get something out of a free play. I think since this is the first complete game the team has played together things went bad but ok. In all actuality, aside from a loss, I will take the effort. Cutler will settle down. He did after the half. And with a bad game like this under his belt there is really no more pressure like before. He now knows that if he doesn't keep his head that we can not win. We will be fine.

Why is it not Cutler's fault? It was Rex's fault. It was Orton's fault. Now it the receivers fault. Now??????? The receivers are all
young. Turner is not young and inexperienced. They could have easily
established the run game on the swiss cheese defense. Never has Ron
Turner's teams been passing teams. They shouldn't start now either.
The Bears blew it big time by not running more. The Packer's do not
look like they will win another game this year....and we lost to them.
There was nothing impressive about the Packers 'D'. They are in for
big trouble this year....and so are the Bears, if they keep passing
more than they run.

It will indeed be a painful process with Cutler and our group of receivers, but for me, that was expected. It was why I kept saying all along that we can't pin this season all on Cutler. So really, can we stop this nonsense talk about cutting preseason games in half? Cutting back to 3 games is maybe worth thinking about, but 2 games should be out of the question. It's clear that Cutler and ALL our receivers still need to work on their chemistry and timing. That takes time. Earl Bennett may have had 7 receptions, but he dropped his share of passes, same goes with most everyone except Hester of all the guys. I blamed a lot more of the coaches' decisions on the field last night more than anything, and it wasn't about just 1 or 2 plays. The game planning was poor, especially on offense. Did Turner or Lovie or whoever think they would be more clever than the Packers by not using their best offensive weapons on the team in Greg Olsen and Matt Forte enough? 1 pass reception between the both of them? Inexcusable. The replay calls, terrible. Special teams - atrocious on coverage (an elite kick returner would have scored a td on that very first kickoff of the game) and we had no field position at all. Obviously, that boneheaded play by Wolfe, Mannelley or whoever called that fake punt - embarrassing. Clock management, burning timeouts too early, Vasher on Jennings man-to-man in a crucial point of the game with less than 2 mins?, a slant play to a skinny and unproven rookie wr in a 2 min. offense? etc. etc. This game was lost more from other factors than Cutler. Unfortunately, because he's the quarterback, he's gonna get most of the blame, but for most of the Bears fans who really know the game, he was nowhere near the biggest problem, nor should there be red flags concerning Cutler. I didn't see it from him, but from the receivers, that's a different story. Hey, from my count of the Bears prediction records in FCP, the majority expected a loss in this first game anyway. Soak it up and get ready for the defending champs in Week 2. This game, I can see the Bears winning and playing much better. The one big positive I did want to say about last night, however, was the play of the Defensive line... Marinelli looks like the real deal to me. Those guys were constantly getting pressure on Rodgers most of the game. It's just too bad about Tinoisamoa and Urlacher. Unbelievable. It's like Mike Brown going down in game 1 of that disaster season after the Super Bowl.

Did the Bears have a buy this week?

Honestly ... I thought there was a professional football game scheduled to be broadcast last night, but I couldn't find one on my TV. So after watching what looked like a scrimmage for scrubs for about half an hour, I turned off the set and went to bed.

Do they play next week?

Jay Cutler Quarterbacked The Gang To A 2 Point Lead With 1:18 Left On The Clock. Lovey's Hand-Picked Defense Could'nt Hold. Not The First Time We've Squirmed Through That. If We Really Need To Assign A Jersey Number To Blame? Nate Vasher's # 31, Fits Better Than Jay Cutler's # 6

Cutler is very quick to jump on his receivers when they mess up. Remember game 1 of the preseason when he called out Hester?

Cutler my man, learn to be patient! We all know you have a great arm and can scramble, but it's OK to dump it off on occasion. Both Forte and Wolfe excelled at that last year.

Bears don't have an established home run threat right now outside of Hester and he's still raw. Force feeding Bennett on all those passes was not a good idea. Keep feeding Forte the ball with both plenty of runs and dump off passes and I guarantee the home run balls will be there.

I think Urlacher must have been watching the same game I was watching on TV. He probably hurt his wrist throwing the remote at the wall.

Now he can watch all of the games on TV. Lucky guy.

Right on Stu! New QB, new offense - that wont gel immediately. Hopefully the receivers will step up soon and Cutler will settle down and be patient. But! not too patient because it's his fire that will advance this Offense. Will Turner get better at his job????

Shoulda, coulda, woulda, but didn't.

In the NFL, the only thing that matters are Ws. Save the moral lessons for high school and college ball.

If we open up the season 0-2 will you still be applauding Cutler for setting the bar high for the Bears' offense?

Urlacher is gone for the season. And now my winter is just about shot unless I can learn to love hockey.

Now I expect some of you to man up and call it like it is. Bears had a lot of questions coming off last year's season and only a couple have been addressed. A quarter back cannot block and catch his own passes. Forte is just a regular back - Neal Anderson-ish. Ron Turner is a joke and he is the only consistent connection we have to all of our failed quarterbacks.

Jay is our quarterback.

One more thought...

As flustered and mouthy (bordering on childish) as Cutler acted, Rodgers was largely cool, calm and collected. Rodgers also was putting the ball on his receivers' hands, but watched several of them get dropped.

Cutler has more starts than Rodgers, but Rodgers seemed to be the more experienced QB on the field (all the while having to worry whether Agunleye was going to end his career).

Once he gets a win under his belt, Cutler should be fine. Of course, that first win might not be until the third game of the season, and the fireworks could be plentiful until then.

Is this official what I'm reading in the papers that Urlacher is out for the season because of his wrist dislocation? In other words, he can't play another game at all this season with at least a hard cast on? There's gotta be something more to this injury. Just great.

Yo Seedy:

You're right, and that's what I like about football, on both the collegiate and professional level. There isn't a lot of room for error. One or two games can, (and often does) make the difference between playing football or golf in the post-season.

Unlike basketball, hockey, or the never-ending sport known as Major League Baseball, there are no meaningless games in football, save perhaps the last game on the schedule of a team that has already locked up a playoff berth and home field advantage. When it comes to the schedule, that's about it as far as "garbage time" is concerned.

It's the immediacy of the sport that I find so compelling, but the flip side of that is how quickly the hope for an entire season can evaporate into thin air. A loss next week to Pittsburgh, coupled with wins by either the Packers, the Vikings, or both would put the Bears behind the 8-ball just two games into the season. Another loss or two after that, and we can all sit back to watch the Bulls and Hawks. That's how quickly it could all be over with.

Only in MLB can a team play like crap for 140 games, and still be in the hunt for the post-season, which is why I've lost interest in that sport over the years. Before too long they'll be playing game seven of the World Series on Christmas Eve. I don't believe it's in the best interests of baseball to begin and end the season in a snow storm. On the other hand, our football season could be over with before the leaves fall off the trees.

Come to think of it ... expanded playoff schedules have done nothing but water down the product in almost all sports, rewarding mediocrity in the same way that our public school system passes functionally illiterate failures from one grade to the next. Who cares if they learn anything, as long as everyone gets to wear a cap and gown?

Get a DAMN grip on reality, most of you!

1.) Turner sucks as a play caller.

2.) For a guy who had never caught a single NFL pass, Bennett had a very good game. Of course, Cutler should not have forced it to him as much as he did, but he showed good hands AND toughness, as did Hester, something that was sadly lacking last year.

3.) The Bears managed just 3 lousy points on two possessions when they had first and goal at the 8 and first and goal at the 5. The first one was all on Cutler - anyone want to blame the receiver for the lineman's INT? - the second one, all on Turner.

4.) Forte got ZERO passes last night. I know he might have expected fewer this year, but that is just stupid.

5.) Cutler and the 1st string should have played a LOT more in pre-season. At times they looked like they had been introduced just before kickoff.

6.) Blaming the receivers for most of the picks? Really??? Cutler threw 4 interceptions. It could have easily been 7. Get friggin real!!!

For as well as the GB defense played last night, the Bears played just as well, if not better, on both sides of the ball. We had them outgained 2-1 before the last drive. We turned the rock over more than a hungry grizzly lookin' for moths, and still had'em. I thought Cutler may have tried to do a little too much and it hurt him. The first INT should never have been thrown. Period! The second should never have come to be in the first place. If Clark, the veteran, continues his route to the EMPTY corner of the end zone, the GB defensive tackle would have been on the sideline resting for the next series instead of making a tremendously athletic play. That, my friends, was the turning point of the game.

Granted, Knox double moved on the third INT, but that pass looked short, regardless. The fourth, and final, INT was ALL on Knox.

Jay's a competitor. Don't confuse his chewing out of players as a mind issue. We don't know that for sure just yet. I know I'd be pissed if my receivers made me look foolish on national TV, but at the same time, he needs to take some responsibilty for his own mistakes and remember, this is still a work in progress.

I'm shocked more throws didn't go to Hester deep, and on quick short outs; but that's Turner again! Devin requires total respect, especially after toasting the Heisman Kid, but it never emerged.

I echo the point of the fourth quarter, first and goal, at the five. I get sick and tired of watching Turner turn that into a 'I'll settle for the sure field goal' event. OK, first run burns some valuable seconds, understood; but at least spread the field a little, knucklehead! As a matter af fact, against that front EIGHT, spread it all three downs and give your back a chance!!! Terrible, terrible, terrible.

Anyway, it's pretty much mute now. That tough defense I saw in the first half mutated into a second team mirage. I'm sorry camp, but Brian and Pisa will be sorely missed. We went from a top five 'D' to a bottom tier squad in the blink of a wrist. Our corners are matadors, the middle of the line is still running in mud, and our lack of spacing receivers will not change overnight.

Cutler is the least of the problems right now. For all we know, he may be the duct tape in the end.

First game! Where's Mike Brown!?!

For as well as the GB defense played last night, the Bears played just as well, if not better, on both sides of the ball. We had them outgained 2-1 before the last drive. We turned the rock over more than a hungry grizzly lookin' for moths, and still had'em. I thought Cutler may have tried to do a little too much and it hurt him. The first INT should never have been thrown. Period! The second should never have come to be in the first place. If Clark, the veteran, continues his route to the EMPTY corner of the end zone, the GB defensive tackle would have been on the sideline resting for the next series instead of making a tremendously athletic play. That, my friends, was the turning point of the game.

Granted, Knox double moved on the third INT, but that pass looked short, regardless. The fourth, and final, INT was ALL on Knox.

Jay's a competitor. Don't confuse his chewing out of players as a mind issue. We don't know that for sure just yet. I know I'd be pissed if my receivers made me look foolish on national TV, but at the same time, he needs to take some responsibilty for his own mistakes and remember, this is still a work in progress.

I'm shocked more throws didn't go to Hester deep, and on quick short outs; but that's Turner again! Devin requires total respect, especially after toasting the Heisman Kid, but it never emerged.

I echo the point of the fourth quarter, first and goal, at the five. I get sick and tired of watching Turner turn that into a 'I'll settle for the sure field goal' event. OK, first run burns some valuable seconds, understood; but at least spread the field a little, knucklehead! As a matter af fact, against that front EIGHT, spread it all three downs and give your back a chance!!! Terrible, terrible, terrible.

Anyway, it's pretty much mute now. That tough defense I saw in the first half mutated into a second team mirage. I'm sorry camp, but Brian and Pisa will be sorely missed. We went from a top five 'D' to a bottom tier squad in the blink of a wrist. Our corners are matadors, the middle of the line is still running in mud, and our lack of spacing receivers will not change overnight.

Cutler is the least of the problems right now. For all we know, he may be the duct tape in the end.

First game! Where's Mike Brown!?!

That's it! I have totally had it with players whining to renegotiate their contracts before the ink on the last one they signed is even dry.

I know this wasn't exactly the case with Urlacher, but nevertheless, they had him under contract for a few more seasons, and decided that rather than hurt his feelings, they'd throw even more money at him.

How has that worked out so far? What have the Bears gotten out of Urlacher the past two years, and what will they be getting this season other than his pouting, surly presence on the bench?

The same goes for Harris. He has yet to earn the first nickle of his multi-million dollar extension.

I don't know what the solution to the problem is, but it certainly isn't tearing up a player's contract and giving him a new one every time he has a good game.

As it currently stands, the Bears are on the hook for Urlacher's salary for the rest of the season. If they're going to pay him for sitting on the I.R. they shouldn't have to also swallow his raise. A raise that he has yet to earn on the field.

The Bears did a good job of containing Aaron Rodgers who is a very quick and elusive qb, but the fact is they couldn't hold out the Packers when it really mattered. I would say three of those INT's where part Cutler's and part the receivers fault. The only one that wasn't was the Jolly INT which was just an extremely good play by him. Cutler knows that his receivers weren't on, and the fact that GB was there shows that even if the receiver was there, the defense would still be there to break up the play. He did show excellent leadership ability, but no where near where Jordan had it at. He not only pressed on his teammates, but led them by example. No one wants to listen to a sub-par player tell them how to play their position. Cutler couldn't put up the passes when he needed to and that third pick was all on him, Harris was on him and yet he still threw the ball there. He needs to prove that he deserves to be the leader of the team before he can lead a team.

Hey Bears fans --- I'm a Bronco fan and I saw Cutler do the same things last nite that he did for 2+ years in Denver. Happy feet shuffles, eyes locked in on a WR, throw into triple coverage.

I don't think he ever looks at DB's? They sure look at him and he leads them right to where he's throwing the ball. It's going to be a long tenure, it might be one game, but it's a trend for him.

If I were the coach, I'd pound the rock, let Cutler air it out down the sidelines only.

Thank you for Orton and 2 defensive starters! Orton showed me more yesterday than Cutler ever did, once our WR's start catching the ball, we're hanging 30 on whoever we play.

Cuck Futler!!!

Yeah, you have to admit that you need some leadership on the field. We've had too many coy types run the turn-styles that is the QB position on this Bears club in recent years. Too many of them were talentless mopes, so it would be wrong to rail against Cutler about ONLY his demeanor last night. The regained composure at the second half was palpable though, and should tell you a good deal about his "character": he'll get it together when he has to.

I still stand by the opinion that he told the truth about Hester in the offseason, though it was not a ribbing job by any means. All of the receivers, however, need to get better at committing to their routes. I guess they all have to flush the Grossmans and Ortons from the systems; Cutler expects you to be where you are supposed to be. No questions.

The whole O side of the ball is what concerns me about this team (wideouts, O-line, etc).

Watching this game made me think about something that I have had on my mind for the last couple of months.
How much time have I spent on sports in my lifetime?
I am 47 and have been into this stuff since I was a little kid.
40 plus years of this.
I worked at Soldier Field for 3 years just to see the free Bears games and concerts.
Just to watch Walter Payton play in person.
Countless hours spent watching Chicago sports teams on TV or live at the stadium or ballpark.
Who knows how much money I have spent at Soldier Field, Comiskey Park, U.S. Cellular Field, Wrigley Field, Chicago Stadium and the United Center….
Thousands of comments and posts on the Internet.
Hell… I have over 2,000 posts on a Packer site alone just because I enjoyed the debates and proving them wrong.
Most of them are blind anyway so a lot of that was just a waste of time but it was kind of fun.
Chicago Sun-Times, Fox Sorts, Sports Illustrated, Baseball Fever, Pro Football Talk…
A lot of time spent on those sites.
I watched the 4th quarter of last nights game in my bedroom where I keep my guitars.
If I had spent just a fraction of the time that I have on the Bears playing those guitars I could have been Jimi Hendrix by now.

I have seen the Bulls win 6 titles, the White Sox win a World Series and the Bears win a Super Bowl. All were great but how many seasons end with you being totally happy with the time you spent on this?
More times than not it is just frustration and disappointment in return for your time.
Why should I get frustrated even one more time over rich guys not winning a game and then see them shrug it off like ‘Oh well”?
Why should I get back into the Sox having a chance to win the division only to have them let me down twice in the same season?
Why should I worry about Brian Urlacher’s wrist?
I am working 12 hours today to make sure I can pay my mortgage.
The company that I work for relies heavily on the automotive industry and we have cut 20% of our work force since the first of this year.
5 years ago I severed a tendon on my index finger and had to have surgery to repair it.
I was back at work in one week with a cast on my hand and was expected to do my regular duties cast or no cast.
I am supposed to worry about a millionaire getting paid millions more to take the year off?
Why?
For what?

I used to hate it when the Bears played night games.
Football at noon on a Sunday is what I wanted. That is the way it should be.
Yesterday I was able to accomplish so many things that needed to be done around the house while I ignored the rest of the NFL.
I even had time to take my dog to the park to throw her the ball.
My dog’s life span is a lot shorter than mine and she was really happy with the simple time that I spent with her instead of her just laying on the floor while I watched a football game.

I did not write this to rant or get something off of my chest.
I just wanted to say that if I really decide to cash it in on the sports stuff that I have followed for so many years that you are a good group of people, it was great talking to you guys and I thank you for the conversation.
Stu responds: Phil, thanks for a post that truly came from the heart. You make a lot of good and compelling points. We all need to keep proper perspective when it comes to sports and what's really important in this world.

Headline: Cutler stars in Crying Game

I can just start copy/pasting everything I've said...or better yet...you can do it for me, gents....

looks like no depth is going to magnify bad drafts, bad trades, and bad future from the get go...game one...wow...who knew?

me... (I didn't capitalize the M cuz I wanna connect)

lmmfao...my neighbors...are sittin on their stoop ...the very same neighbors who treated me like you guys all week....I hear them talking about the game and sounding a little more like me with every sentence....

I guess I'll buy the Monday night brew.....alcohol heals

just think, if they wouldn't have invited me over for last night's game...and I didn't get to point out what I've been talking about...you know, the hating....they'd be sounding like you guys still...I think I'm gonna go show em your posts today and make them tell me thank you

Does Rampart sell WR's? LB's?

heck, good news.. the bubblegum and paperclips held up on the front line....Pittsburgh 32 Bears 9

I once shattered my wrist into about fifty more pieces than what God intended doing Tae Kwon Do. I was 100% in six weeks. Mystified is an understatement in terms of how I'm reacting to this. It wasn't broken; it was merely dislocated. This is for an entire season? I don't get it.

MY BAD! Important issue of note. My hats off to Lovie for having the defense ready and calling a good game. When you overcome three INT's (4th irrelavent) on a hostile field in front of the nation, and give your team the chance it did to win, you did well. One poor play by Vasher, unfortunately, soured a nice showing.

Turner! I still think you vacuum!!!

Great post Phil.

I've been feeling the same way myself lately. Yesterday I didn't bother watching one game until the Bears came on, and I turned that off in disgust shortly before halftime.

Instead of wasting my time sitting in front of the television yesterday afternoon, I spent two hours in the gym, exercising. Then I invited an old friend over for dinner, and along with my wife and my daughter, we all enjoyed our supper outside on the deck. The weather was perfect, the company excellent, and the food wasn't too bad either.

I'm beginning to feel that endless hours spent watching other people play games is a huge waste of time, and little more than excuse to do nothing worthwhile. (kinda like sitting in front of the computer)

I've made up my mind to scale back the amount of time I spend on all sports, save for those that I actually participate in. Being more selective means tuning out games like the one I started watching last night if I get the feeling that the players care less about winning than I do. I know this means possibly missing out on some late game heroics, but there's always my trusty DVR, which gives me the added benefit of fast forwarding through all the Jay Leno promotions.

I'll be spending a lot of time at the health club this winter, and come spring I plan on buying a new bicycle, and breaking out the fishing gear which has languised away in my front hall closet for almost three years. Let's face it; sport franchises throughout the country have priced the average fan out of the game. They sell the seats to corporations and businessmen that are allowed to deduct entertainment expenses from their tax returns. If the price of admission goes up to $1,000 a seat, do you think they'll regret the fact that we're not able to go? Hardly.

They couldn't care less about us, and it's high time we returned the favor, showing them the same committment they show us as fans.
Stu responds: Well said, Villano .... just as long as you guys all keep coming to suntimes.com! ; -)

Hate to say it, but Mike's right: Get used to it, Chicago fans. We watched Cutler do this time and time again in Denver, with a receiving corps he was used to. He was notorious for locking in on Brandon Marshall; DBs didn't have to put on their Sherlock Holmes hats to figure out where the ball was going. And those throws into the middle of nowhere, surrounded by nothing but opposing team jerseys? Yeah, get comfortable with that, too. Last night you got a good look at many of the things that drove Denver fans crazy, and it won't be your last glimpse. He will have brilliant moments, but he always makes up for them.

PHIL - as my good friend Rio always says "perspective is a mug". God bless you with whatever you decide. I certainly will miss you if you decide to roll.

GIG - you never cease to amaze me.

HITMAN - You know I understand, but be gentle.

The Steeler are going to destroy Jay Cutler next weekend.

*grabs popcorn

All you have to do is get in his head, then enjoy the meltdown. That's what happens when you have an emotional fragile rocket arm at QB.

Bears fans talking about going fishin after game one?...Rather kill themselves in the gym than watch dabears?

Welcome to the dark side, gentlemen....

next year is already here...now, to start firing these nunces

how much to pry Singletary outta SF?...Rivera?

who do you want as GM?...I like Singletary for that job and Rivera to coach...how about Leslie Frazier?...bring him in too....one bigass bears party....

Wake Up!!!

to the soothing sounds of Jerry and the Yes Men

now, back to the definition of Jumping the Shark....

Pittsburgh 42
bears 11

Phil, Mark and others:

It's funny that both of you would bring up what's been increasingly on my mind for several years now. Actually, it started when the Bears won the Super Bowl in '85 and has continued with greater and greater clarity as my exremely beloved White Sox won it in '05. Of course, the Bulls were in between. I couldn't help but notice with each title that actually winning it all didn't quite make up for all the countless and often exasperating hours used up along the way just following my teams. Yes, the feeling was nice, even very nice, but it wasn't heaven! Moreover, it didn't last very long. We could go into spiritual matters of course, but this isn't the time nor venue.

Nevertheless, sports for many of us is for all practical purposes an unproductive type of addiction. Naturally, it's not me that ran into the end zone with the title-winning TD. It's not my success! It is for all practical purposes nothing more than a phantom success that we have heaped upon OUR athletes to perform for us. No one really gives a rats rooty tooty either that your team just won the Super Bowl. It's misplaced success at best and we get so emotional and even crazy about it. Then, the rewards don't remotely compare with the myriad upon myriad of frustration after frustration. For what?

I'll admit that I can't let go, but the more of a real life that I develop for myself, the easier that prospect becomes even though I think I have a decent and productive life. I'm probably one Blackhawk Stanley Cup away (since that's never happened in my lifetime) from making a clean break.

Now, people can argue that sports should be a mere diversion that can even release frustrations within. However, I think many of us have our diversions out of balance. Diversions should be entertainment and there should be only so much of our lives devoted to entertainment that doesn't produce anything. Hobbies like furniture-making or painting or composing music are productive. Sports, unless you're actually playing them, is a poor measure of production and your team's winning it all doesn't make you any better or more successful than anyone else.

Thanks for sharing. I do want to enter in that it's still nice to chat with my guys at FCP and that is not without some social and relational production, especially if it's mostly positive.

Alright, so when did this blog transform from being a SPORTS blog to a lesson in life perspective? Thanks for the life lessons, but if you're at that point in your life that you don't need to discuss or vent on certain sports topics anymore, then just don't post!

and one more thing, stu...

on the poll about Urlachers injury....ummm...one of your choices is "play for draft position?"

it should read, "play for Denver's draft position...Go Kyle!"
Stu responds: Good point, Hitman, although a high second-round pick is almost as good as a first-rounder.

Anonymous - you are cold. Have a heart.

Going to be a long cold winter for me. Perhaps I should look into getting a treadmill. Bears and Bulls are going to get us all into perfect health!

It's funny, but my wife still wonders why I talk (OK, shout) to the TV when the Sox, Bulls and Bears are on. Maybe you guys are right about taking it too serious. I think I'm going to have to ponder the thought about toning down the sports; it is an addiction, no doubt. Sometimes being naturally competitive, combined with having played sports most of my life, has a magnetic draw. Being a coach, referee and umpire, I'm sure, hasn't helped. I know it exercises my heart, that's for sure. I'm so competitive I make my grandchildren wait until I whip the competition on Wheel Of Fortune before I take them outside. Actually, I'm letting my dinner settle, but that's just a biproduct.

Yep, this Chicago sports atmosphere is putting a damper on my life, and I don't even see it. Michaels gone, Scottys gone, Walters gone, The Golden Jet is gone, Sids gone. Shoot, even Papa George isn't around to enjoy.

Those '05 White Sox were a mirage. Darn them. The Sting of old were just lucky. The Rush; history. Bulls-Boston playoff series; bor-ing! The Young Hawks run; here today, gone tomorrow. Yep, I think I'll just wait for another dynasty to come along before I hit the air again.

Or maybe, just maybe, I'll continue being a diehard, competitive, stimulated and enjoying the 'good with the bad' Chicago sports fan.

Shoot, now that I think about it, without that stimulation I wouldn't be jacked enough to keep up with the grandkids.

Stu, keep the lines open!
Stu responds: Anthony, I'm there for you. That sense of community is what keeps FCP going.

Cutler has been overrated his whole career and only now the Bears and Bears' fans realize they grossly overpaid for a Mike Shanahan system quarterback.

A little early to be comparing Cutler to Jordan, don't you think? One major difference is that Jordan competed at a high level all the time and expected the same of his teammates. Cutler didn't perform at a high level but expected his teammates to do so. Cutler may turn out to be a fine QB, but right now his record as a starter is 17-21 with no playoff experience. This is a sign of excellence? Unlike Jordan, who raised the level of play of his teammates by his performance, Cutler has no record of excellence and has a reputation as a crybaby, not a leader.

Ok fella's. I'm not a Cutler fan either and many of you have pretty good comments. HOWEVER, I watched the game too and I say the BEARS as a whole, did not play the game well at all. Cutler threw some bad passes and his receivers weren't there for him when he did throw to them.

Where were the blockers when GB players were running down the field? They all need improving or they can expect to lose more games during the season.

Nurture his receivers? Grow up. Jay cutler was taking control and if he needs to get in people's faces so be it. Coaches are there to nurture, out on the battlefield men lead and it isn't always pretty.

Stu, stop imposing your emotional reactions on football players. You probably don't handle criticism well and need someone to nurture you through tough times but don't rub your weaknesses off on everyone else.

"Now, people can argue that sports should be a mere diversion that can even release frustrations within. However, I think many of us have our diversions out of balance."

I'll be the first one to admit to that, although I'm slowly gaining perspective as the grim reaper is rapidly gaining on me.

Living the life of a "winner" vicariously via any player or team isn't really living at all. I've come to the conclusion that tying even a small portion of my emotional happiness to people and organizations that don't know I exist, (and couldn't care less even if they did) is a pointless exercise in futility. I'm beginning to question what exactly it is that I'm rooting for, and more importantly ... why?

I guess it all comes down to some sort of sense of community. Kindered spirits all pulling for the same outcome. (I hesitate to call it a "Cause") I guess it's the comraderie and the shared emotions that these chilren's games evoke in many of us that makes it all seem worthwhile.

It's also funny that I don't consider the time I spend posting online to be a total waste. Getting to know new people, however remote the relationship, is never a waste of time And since I'm also quite the multi-tasker, I'm able to do other things while perusing the web. Although some may consider me to be a prolific poster, the truth of the matter is that this contraption is usually running in the background, while I attend to more pressing matters such as eating, and going to the bathroom.

At least I have my priorities in order.

Go Bears!

I've been telling you guys for a while that sports is supposed to be escapism. It's a form of entertainment. Anyone who puts it high up on their lists of things to give your life meaning has no life. Being able to throw a win in another guy's face is pretty shallow. I have seen my favorite shows get canceled and my favorite player of all time die. All the rest of it is window dressing. I don't like when the Bears lose but I'm not that 12 year old kid who had most of his summer days ruined because his favorite team lost more than they won. I've seen my sons born and my mother pass and my life has a lot of meaning. The Bears and sports are around my top 6 of life's enjoyment. Mark, I even forgot that the NFL had games earlier. I was taking my youngest home at 3:15 and realized that a 12 o'clock game was just finishing up. I looked up NFL.com on my PDA and glanced at the box scores. Did I really need to see what Brett Favre had done with a 100 yards passing to win a game? It's so redundant. I'd rather talk sports than watch them. Too many begone moments. Can I at least say that Anonymous? Gotta put it in perspective.

Wow, aren't some of you guys getting a little too deep and too philosophical after a Bears loss? It's only game 1 for chrissakes! :) Most of you guys even predicted a loss at Green Bay. They're a good team and they'll give many other NFL teams fits with that high powered offense and a solid new defensive scheme. Sometimes you have to give some credit to where it's due. Stop with the silly talk about perspective, priorities and the "im sick of sports" banter or else I'll start calling out to bring back Rex Grossman to liven things up again.

All my life I found that what ever I decided I wanted to do I was good enough to compete at it but never excelled at any one thing. Mostly I guess because after gaining a certain amount of skill and proving to myself that I could hold my own I'd move on to something else. I suppose some of that attitude came from always competeing against an older brother (dad's favorite) and once I proved I could beat him I was satisfied and more or less thumb my nose at dad which put dad and I at odds pretty much until the day he died when I was 23. I didn't find out until dad's funeral that when he got out of the army at the end of WWII he had been offered a contract with the St. Louis Brownsand turned it down because he was getting married and didn't think a married man should be playing a kids game. Ofcourse back then players didn't make the millions of dollars they do today so I can understand his reasoning. I do believe however, looking back, I think he had regrets about that decision. When dad took up golf he began to push my older brother into the gameat the age of 10 and although he became quite good at it he did not have the temprement to compete at a level required to compete beyond high school. I enjoyed playing the game but once I started beating dad (he shot consitantly in the mid to upper 70's) I was satisfied. Looking back I tend to believe that dad was pushing my brother hoping he would succeed and he could live the life he didn't through my brother. Unfortunately I think many fans of all sports do that with their favorite players and it starts as a kid pretending to be whomever when you're playing sandlot ball.
I don't waste time looking back and wondering what might have been had i done this or that, I am satisfied with where I am today regardless of decisions that made the road a bit rough at times. I enjoy watching sports for their entertainment value and enjoy talking and posting here for the same reason. Yes occasionally i get wound up during the season but regardless of what happens any teams championship is not going to make my life any different. So with all that said.....GOOOOOOO Bearssssssssssss!!!

What is with all you whiny a** Bronco fans...all of a sudden coming in
here and thanking us for Orton,and telling us that is what Cutler does. LIARS!!!!! You don't thank us for Orton, we thank you for taking him. You are not glad Cutler is gone.....you cry in your
Rocky mountain oysters everyday, that he is gone. You are just in
denial. When Orton is all that you have, we too experienced false
hope based on the passion for our team. When this season is over,
I guarantee you that the Bears fan base has grown by several former
Broncos fans, because we all know that Cutler represents real hope.
The fact that we have had all these injuries, will only magnify Jay's further ascent into greatness. Instead...of you Die
hard Bronco fans coming here to patronize us....keep an eye on the
Texans. There is the QB your moron of a coach should have insisted on
instead of Orton. GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO REXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX. Go
whine there.

Nothing wrong with rooting for your hometown team. Both your town and your team is supposed to be a representation of where you are from. Sports are fun and healthy for the most part. And blogging is even more healthy than you know. Its good for typing, spelling, writing and expression. It keeps your mind sharp and it helps you broaden your perspective. Through this medium I have been able to converse with someone like Culzie - a person I would probably NEVER have been able to know in my lifetime. We are a community and share a common bond - the Bears, Bulls, Blackhawks, Sox and Cubs - and Chicago as a whole. We are Roman's and Stu's dysfunctional family. I have conversed with some of you more than some of my family! We have shared ups and downs and heartaches and good times.

Of course William is right. Priority and Perspective is key. Your life is more important that sports and blogging. Especially your health and personal relationships. By my writing you can tell that my life is many things. And a huge part is a Christian. I have been able to pray for you all because I got to know you through this venue. Keep posting and I will keep praying. I wish you all health and happiness. Sincerely - KLSS.

Oh Keith...I dont know about that. I bet I might have run into you at the Wild Hare or 1056 or maybe on a court somewhere near UIC or maybe even at Lou Mitchells for Coffee.....but your right about how this blogging is a great thing. More benefits than I can list right now.

I havent given up hope.

Look, if people can still support Obama after all the S that has hit the fan this summer, then, I can still support the Bears.

It was one game in probably the most hostile environment in the NFL, with a new QB and lots of pressure on them and they made tons of mistakes and they still shoulda WON THE GAME.

I am not down...I have Hope...I believe...Change a gonna coma!!!

I agree 100 percent with stuckinwisconsin about these bitter Bronco fans coming in here and talking smack.

I don't car if Cutler would have thrown 8 interceptions against the Packers! There is no way in heck that you trade Cutler for draft picks and the lolly-pop armed Kyle Orton!

Stuck --

Chill, Dude. Yes, we know you predicted the Bears would go 16-0 this season so you are already out of the running for winning the man-date-night with Stu, but that's no reason to piss all over the Broncos fans.

At least you didn't predict the Bears would win the Super Bowl. Now that would have been a laugher.

If an apple seed were to turn into a butterfly it would fly away and soar on the wind.
But if a butterfly were to turn into an apple seed it would just lay there on the ground.
Motionless and rotting like the Cubs march to the post season.

Let this be you moment of Zen or I shall leave a vintage collection of "Awake!" and "Watchtower" on your doorstep.

Hey. I was not preaching to anyone here and I was not having an epiphany or any thing.
I was just planning on cutting way back on the time I spend on sports related stuff and if I did not post here then I just wanted to say so long because I like the people on this site more than any other.
I have killed several of the accounts that I had around the Internet with no comment at all.

I enjoy sports and I have enjoyed talking about them. I am just cutting a big chunk of it out because it is not my priority and I no longer want the aggravation and stress that goes with making it a bigger deal than it really should be.
I had too many sports related forums, blogs, sites, radio talk shows and TV channels in my day.
It has nothing to do with the Bears winning or losing Sunday night or with Cutler looking good or bad.
I am just lightening the load and I am not passing judgment on anyone for what they like to do or how much time they spend doing it.
I have been there myself for many years and I was not trying to start anything here.

AND....what is with all you self-apathetic Bears fans and your 'feel sorry for me' posts. What exactly has happened that you decided to be inspired and self-refelctive? We want to hear irrational jibberish
from proud fools such as Bculz and Hitman.
My wife is dead too.....but all the dead spouses in the world are
not as sad as seeing Hitman flip and flop-like an Orton pass trying
to travel in the air more than 10 yards. I think his favorite team now is somewhere in the premier league across the pond.
Bubba's mom- should be starting some sh&* and not applauding it.
Villano- more one-liners and less 756 liners.
KLS - move from the southside........just be a lifetime 'sider'man.
WRD- stop with the philanthropy, and start with the hiphopthropy. You are only as young as you act.
Bculz- post earlier...so people will actually read classics such as the penitentiary touch football schedule and results.
Anthony- Tv's are there to shout at-life isn't. Lighten up.
Gig- why don't I remember you??????
Jooles- Get your butt back here.
Bronco fans- go support your team..they need it.
Edgar- no complaints, actually.
Loviehaters- He is a great coach...who exactly would be better?
Do you want Ozzie? MJ? DITKA??????
Anonymous'- Mike singletary is still in the league-should we sign
him at LB???? He will probably be available in a couple
of weeks.

GOOOOOOOO BBBBBBBBBBBEAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRSSSSS! we should
be happy we have a great team to cheer for. Mistakes can be fixed. The Packers cannot be fixed. You can't fix suckiness. We will prevail.

Seedy-did you read the context of my prediction? Maybe I didn't want to win a date with Stu?

here is my meaningless contribution to this all of a sudden comedy
of philosophy:

"The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials." -proverb
-or-

"Who wants a dream that's near-fetched?" Schultz

-or-
"what the hell is a sesamee? -Hedberg

-or-
"The optimist sees the rose and not its thorns; the pessimist stares at the thorns, oblivious of the rose." Gibran

-or-

"It is a funny thing about life; if you refuse to accept anything but the best, you very often get it." -Maugham

Of course if I were like stuckinpuberty I would spend as much time as I could focusing on sweaty guys in spandex just to keep my mind off of being a life long virgin.

Girls are a good thing man. Don't give up.
There still may be time for you yet!
By the way.... "Fargo" is not porn so please stop using it as such.

Stuck --

Who reads anymore?

Here's some Eastern Philosophy for you to ponder. I think it speaks volumes about... well... everything.

Time wounds all heals -- Hawkeye Pierce M*A*S*H

Ladies and gentleman take my advice... pull down your pants and slide on the ice -- Sydney Freedman M*A*S*H

hey lolcopter......you mean destroy like the way Rothlissraper destroyed that poor womans life?

overheard at bears practice today:
"Nate lose your locks, cause if you turn your back the way you did
against Rodgers, you gonna get raped in a different way."