Phew! Bears Soon Will Be Gone From View

December 16, 2014 @ admin → No Comments

Random thoughts while wondering how many members of the McCaskey family watched the entirety of Monday night’s 31-15 Chicago Bears loss to the New Orleans Saints at Soldier Field (voluntarily, that is):

Shannon Ihrke provides some consolation for Bears fans.

* Speaking of the Bears, their 5-9 season has reached the point where fans should be at the point of resignation rather than indignation. As if they shouldn’t have been there before.

* An uneducated guess (the only variety you will find around here) that the Bears will be making far fewer prime-time appearances on national television next season. So those Sunday, Monday and Thursday nights spent this season will be free in 2015.

* Hey, Bears quarterback Jay Cutler does lead the NFL in one category: turnovers (with 24). And that total does not include the number of times George Halas is turning over in his grave — or wherever he might be.

* Speaking of Cutler, he had about as brief a postgame media session as possible. Mainly because most of the media were in the locker room and not in the room where he answered three questions. Whether intentional or accidental, the Bears PR people know better than to let that happen. Generally, the coach goes to the podium first, but Monday night Cutler went first. A little out of order? Disorder seems to be about the only constant with the organization.

* On the bright (?) side, the Bears are moving up on the 2015 NFL draft order. As of now, they would be picking at No. 9. With two more losses to close out the season, they would be No. 5 at best (best being a relative — and seldom-used — term regarding the Bears).

Video below of Tatiana Eriksen if you’re interested (and even if you aren’t).

* On the not-so-bright side, does it really matter where they draft?

* Attendance at the Bears game was 50,247 with 10,749 no-shows. Which meant that folks who did attend probably had an easier-than-usual time exiting Soldier Field and the accompanying traffic. Even more so because the Bears made it easy for them to exit early thanks to the team’s performance (or lack of it).

* Speaking of people not attending the Bears game, those of us who were at home or elsewhere had the chance to watch the Bulls lose at Atlanta. A few days after some folks proclaimed Derrick Rose was back, the Bulls guard went 6-of-21 from the field, including 0-for-7 three-pointers. He had 14 points. And as many turnovers as field goals. Coach Tom Thibodeau talked about rust. Inconsistency would seem more like it. But, sure, let us know when the rest of the rust is gone, we can figure out whether he merely had a bad game (hint: When shots aren’t falling, driving to the basket is an option — Rose was 2-for-3 at the foul line). If this Bulls/Rose saga was a soap opera, guess it would be titled “The Young and the Rustless.”

* The Cubs introduced left-hander Jon Lester to the media. Presumably there will be another similar gathering next year at this time. You know, after most of the celebrating has died down from the Cubs winning the 2015 World Series with Lester the MVP. OK, maybe 2016? Would you believe 2017?

* Speaking of being a World Series champion (which Lester is), the Cubs reportedly have another one in Jason Motte. The former St. Louis Cardinals closer. He reportedly has a one-year, $4.5 million deal. If he is as ineffective as he was last season (he sat out 2013 after Tommy John surgery), Motte might end up helping the Cardinals more than the Cubs this season.

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