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Re: Being a Bears fan: My personal hell
So here's the thing, guy...
I'm a Chicago Bears fan...no really, I am. After what you read here you might not think so...but I really am.
I have been a Chicago Bears fan since I could understand what football was. I didn't understand pass interference, (even to this day, I take issue with it) nor did I understand shotgun formation from a basic I-form.
After the Cardinals forgot to show up last Sunday and put up a fight against the Vikings, my team is about as close to being eliminated as it possibly can be. Although, if there is a team out there in the NFL that could fuck up something almost guaranteed, it would be the Minnesota Vikings.
So in 1992, I believe I was 9 or 10, my first Bears season came to my attention. I hardly understood anything. From what I did understand though, is that from 1984-1992, the Bears were perennial playoff contenders. I remember watching the Bears play the Lions in 1992 in a game that was to decide the division title (funny how things change). I can't remember if it was Dave Krieg or Scott Mitchell or Rodney Peete. Whomever it was, The Bears fell to the Detroit Lions in 1992 and eventually wound up losing the division to a 12-4 Detroit Lions team.
But the Bears were 11-5, and they did make the playoffs...but who were they matched up against? The first playoff team that included Emmitt Smith, Troy Aikman, Micheal Irvin and all the rest of the 'boys.
The Bears lost that game 17-13 via a goal line stand by Dallas. It ended an era of football prosperity in Chicago that had spanned nearly a decade. Year in and year out they were in the playoffs and had a habit of going quite deep into those playoffs.
My story starts in 1992.
A tumultuous road from there on after was indeed in store for me. Ditka was fired after a 5-11 1993 campaign (of course beating up Jim Harbaugh on the sidelines had something to do with it).
The Dave Wanndsteidt (I don't care if it's spelled wrong, he deserves it) years were filled with crap team after crap team. The defense was horrid and the offense was the best the Bears had seen since the days of Sid Luckman (of course great offense by Bears fan standards is suspect to say the least). Erik Kramer to Curtis Conway became the weekly combo, and when they weren't connecting, Bobby Engram and Jeff Graham were picking up the slack.
Unfortunately this new team made for many 28-27 losses, or sometimes 35-31 loses if we were lucky. Wanny was here and gone without one playoff memory worth saving. There was that wonderful 48-14 tromping in 1995 or 96 against the 49ers in the divisional round of the playoffs. 9-7 was Wanny's highest mark here in Chicago, that was back in the days where 9-7 meant something.
So how does all of this relate to what's going on now with the Chicago Bears?
I'll gladly tell you. The Bears seem to be most successful when they are the outstanding defense and mediocre offensive team. They thrust away offensive gems consistently and cling to offensive liabilities. Go away Curtis Conway, go away Bobby Engram, shew Brenard Berrian, I never knew you anyway Muhsin Muhammid...I love you David Terrel, big contract for you, Marcus Robinson get the hell outta here (and have career years with Minnesota)...get out of here 100 catch Marty Booker, we'll catch you again when you're 33...
and the most relevant to the modern day Bears...Berrian with a 95+ yard TD pass against the Bears to probably eliminate the Chicago Bears from division championship contention.
Although we are most successful when we have a great defense and a mediocre offense, that hardly makes us a successful team as of late. The Superbowl losing team of just 2 years ago seems a hundred years ago. With every Rashied Davis (our supposed #1) drop to strengthen his lead for dropped passed in a season and every Brandon Lloyd sure reception that he somehow turns the wrong way for...I have to keep remininding myself that somehow...this IS Bears football...the only way we know how to play.
Is it purgatory or is it hell?
You decide.
Re: Being a Bears fan: My personal hell
Why they didn't draft a QB the last 2 or 3 years I'll never figure out?! 
Ditka was a legend for the Bears, in fact he WAS the Bears. Cannot figure out why they let him go/fired him. I guess ownership was getting frustated with him, I don't really remember exactly what went on.
The BEST was the Super Fans on SNL (Da Bears), one of the better sketches of all time for that show.
("Ditka... or God?"
"Hmmmm, that's a tough one. Can there be a tie?!")
http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/ … ns/274882/
Wow, I just saw they predicted a Bulls 8-peat on that.. really wasn't that far off since they won two 3 peats in 8 years.
Re: Being a Bears fan: My personal hell
Bears are still alive, although on life support. 90s was a horrific decade for the franchise. They were pretty much what the Lions are right now. The division has always been fairly weak, and that added to the shock of the constant losing seasons. It doesn't take much to get out of that division's cellar. This division was basically the only division that truly benefited from realignment because the one solid team at the time was sent packing. This actually played a role in Chicago's resurgence this decade.
The major fuck up was letting Thomas Jones get away. That one decision has huge ramifications for the franchise for probably many years to come. The defense isn't what it used to be, and like Pasnow said the way they have handled their QB situation is mind boggling. This team's window of opportunity for a SB has opened several times this decade even with their problems. Not having a solid QB is what kept closing their window, and letting Jones go probably nailed the window shut.
Re: Being a Bears fan: My personal hell
I know I have a skewed view of what a good QB is...but we can't seem to find any...
Do you remember?
Rick Mirer
Steve Stenstrom
Kordell Stewart
Jim Miller
Shane Matthews
Steve Walsh
Jonathon Quinn
Craig Krenzel
Moses Mareno
Will Furrer
Peter Tom Willis
Chad Hutchinson
Henry Burris
the list goes on and on...
the truth is...they will NOT spend money on offensive players...the team refuses to do so
- Communist China
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Re: Being a Bears fan: My personal hell
"The Bills of the not too distant past"? I'm going with "exactly the same and the Bills" except they've had an NFC championship in the last 5 years. Bears have their problems and I know what it's like to watch a bad offense that just never gets better... and I know what it's like to have Dick Jauron as a coach.
