Bears: A Great, Great Season...Now Over :(

Hi

Screw you. Yeah, you. The bandwagon Chicago Bears fan. You don't feel my pain after seeing the best defense (technically, #2 overall) lose their edge today. Or my pride, sympathy, and sorrow for seeing my man Rex Grossman essentially apologize after the game and then commit to learning from his mistakes and prepare for next year despite leading his offense to 21 points in only his second game of the year (and this after coming from a serious injury). Or how my heart ached to see Brian Urlacher in the locker room with his head down -- forcing himself on occassion to meet eye-to-eye with reports (or in other words, with Chicago). You're probably clueless as to my paradoxical feelings on wanting and not wanting to knock out Urlacher for failing to raise his crew up to the same level as the previous meeting between the Bears and Panthers. Or my disappointment that our trash talking this past week against the pansy Panthers (yeah, I said it) doesn't hold up anymore.

And you definitely don't understand how I can forgive the Monsters of the Midway for not coming through after a 29-21 playoff loss at home. Well, let me fill you in: It's called being a fan. A true fan, that is. Sure, I'm depressed over today's loss, but I'm also hopeful. Hey, our team is relatively young, mending from injuries that have plagued and hindered us since the '01 playoff run, and extremely promising. Rex commands the respect of the O with his leadership and desire to win. Our back-up Orton also holds the team's admiration considering his 10-5 record...as a rookie. We still have the Monsters of the Midway. And they now have the bitter taste of a playoff loss in their mouth, which can only inspire a team like this to great things. And we got the best coach in the league who has engineered a great, great team. Hopefully, we'll still have Ron Rivera, too (please don't go coaching your own team as yet, Rivera!). We've got Vasher and Bernard Berrian actualizing their potential in their respective positions. And, as always, we've got me and other fans like me.

Sigh. Well, the football season is over for me today. Who cares about Seattle's amazing year? Or how Denver knocked out the former Super Bowl Champions, Brady and the Pats? Or even how the Steelers pulled off a dramatic upset over Indy? All that seems anti-climatic. Yes, you can tell that I was one of those foolish fans that believed the Bears would make it all the way the Super Bowl. I kept telling everyone, "Defenses win championships." It's like I got all that thrown back at my face...

Actually, let me take the moment to make replies I know I'm going to have to eventually make:

To my STL friends: I'm sorry, did the Rams play this year? Or are they going to be sent back to LA?

To my Wisconsin family: I've heard that Favre recently checked himself into a retirement community. Hope that works out for the best. All those beatings (= sacks, interceptions) he took from us...ouch! Hope your prides are still in tact.

To all other haters (please stand up while reading this): Where was your team in the playoffs? Uh huh, that's what I thought. Sit down, punks.

To Umar: Whatever. Do you even know what football is? And yes, the Bears were playing football today. Our D just didn't play their usual game, but, hey, this builds character. And don't post anything now about the GB FUDGE Packers either.

To Ali: May Allah give you strength when you go back to enemy territory (Madison, Wisconsin) tomorrow. May Allah reward you, brother! Ameen! I got yo' back!

To Nani Ami & Mom: Please make dua for my team for next year. Yes, Mom, my team lost, but we still had an amazing year and I still love them. But for now, I need a hug!!

Da Bears