More than 24 hours later and intellectually we all know that the Bears…our Bears are headed back to the Super Bowl for the first time since Silver Spoons and Punky Brewster left the airwaves.
We lived through some dark days, you and I. Days when it seemed like a good idea to play PT Willis at quarterback. Days when you thought John Roper had a little Otis Wilson in him (turns out he had a lot more Otis Campbell). Days when you actually cared about what Carlos Huerta’s kicking range was (turns out anything from extra point range and in he was almost a 50-50 prop to make.)
We made it through Ditka’s last dark days. We somehow survived Dave Wannstedt’s attack on our Bear loyalty, and we all liked Dick Jauron, especially the part when he left.
Did it make us tougher or jaded or less trusting? Nah, that’s what the Cubs do. For whatever reason, we never question the sense of our loyalty to the Bears. You wear your Bear fandom like a chip on your shoulder. You wear your Cubs devotion like some sort of enematic protuberance.
It was a long, strange season for the Bears. In the preseason they just didn’t look right. You figured they’d get it together and they did. For seven weeks to start the year, they weren’t just good, they were the best team in the league. A rightful successor to the most storied of all NFL single season juggernauts. Then, they were less than that. Far less than that at times.
Somehow, you figured they could do it. The NFC was weak, and even at their worst, they were no worse than anybody else in their half of the NFL. You worried about their erratic, dwarfish quarterback, you know the one who looks like Kirk Hinrich in a stocking cap. You worried that a truly great defense had lost two of the four guys they just couldn’t lose. But you had faith. It might not have been unwavering, but it was there.
Sometime yesterday, probably around the time Bernard Berrian did the Lynn Swann flop and catch, you allowed yourself to let your guard down a little bit. Then Walleye sacked Drew Brees, dislodged the ball and recovered a fumble. A few seconds later and Cedric Benson was swan diving into the end zone.
After 21 long years, most of them filled with mind numbing disappointment, the Chicago Bears were going back to the Super Bowl. You saw on the sidelines with six minutes left the injured Tommie Harris asking Brian Urlacher when they were going to hand out the NFC Championship hats.
You saw a moment I’ll never forget, when Lovie Smith, trying to be calm and stoic walked down the sidelines imploring his kick coverage unit not to let up and give the Saints any hope, only to turn to one of his ace special teams players, Adrian Peterson and see Adrian grinning ear to ear. Adrian knew he was going to the Super Bowl, and Lovie couldn’t do anything but let his guard down and grin along with him.
The clock ticked down, the NFC Championship arrived and Chauncey the Gardner…I mean, Mike McCaskey loaded his 83 year old mother into a golf cart and drove her to the platform being set up at midfield. Out of habit, you could see McCaskey looking for stray golf balls he could kick out into the fairway. Winter rules…of course.
It was a nice moment when the NFL had Tony Dorsett (what?) present her the trophy with her father’s name on it. You know, it would have been too hard to have asked Dick Butkus, or Gale Sayers, or Tim Worley to do it. What’s Bam Morris up to these days? Probably 10-20.
Terry Bradshaw interviewed Urlacher and incredibly his first question was, “How fast is Reggie Bush?” Urlacher shot the balding hillbilly a dastardly look and said, “Not fast enough.”
It didn’t matter. The Bears were going to the Super Bowl. They’re already underdogs, and they figure to get lost in a wash of Peyton Manning features in the next 13 days, and you know what? It won’t matter. The Bears will turn every slight into motivation. They’ll prop up their erratic QB. They’ll load up their tremendous tailback tandem. They’ll continue to tweak a defense that arrived anew in the fourth quarter and OT against Seattle and hasn’t let up since.
Between now and then we’ll soak it all in. The hype and the spectacle of the Super Bowl is overdone and unnecessary, but it’s fun when it’s leading up to your favorite team playing for the world championship.
In our minds we know the Bears are playing for all the marbles. In our hearts we know they belong. We’ll just wait for our guts to catch up.
And we’ll try not to upset them with thoughts of Curtis Conway bitching about the cold, or losing a game in Mile High because for whatever reason your hare lipped coach thinks the best bet is to throw a pass to a defensive lineman.
The Bears are what we thought they were. The best team in the NFC.
In 13 days we’re gonna crown their ass.
And since we know how fleeting these moments can be, and how long you might have to wait for them to come around again, we’re going to enjoy it.
And we’re not going to think about Stan Thomas, Brad Muster, Pat Riley, Todd Sauerbrun, David Terrell, Gary Crowton, Terry Shea, Moses Moreno, Henry Burris, Dustin Lyman or John Allred.
We’ve got a Super Bowl to obsess over. It’s a welcome change of pace.
Well said, Andy. It’s fun to complain about our teams, even when they are doing well. It’s nice to have nothing to complain about. This is the reason we watch, this is the reason we follow.
Let’s enjoy it.
Congrats guys.
Damn you Andy, that brought a tear to my eye.
Let’s Bear Down Brothers!
Urlacher said that Bush was very fast, he sounded really impressed, and then he tried to say that HE, Urlacher, was “not fast enough I guess”. He didn’t take a shot at Bush, especially since it wouldn’t have made sense, considering Bush outran him.
You are killing my buzz. I like to ignore facts and focus on the fantasy Andy has created for us. Now go back to your hole and don’t you dare say anything about the Easter Bunny.
Good lord, I guess I kind of blocked out of my mind the substantial amount of mangoo that has passed for Beardom between the two Super Bowls. And you didn’t even have to resort to the Spare Beardom.
Frankly Alonzo Spellman sums it all up for me. World Beater body. Egg Beater mind. Where’s your shoes?
Who cares how fast Reggie Bush is? He can be the fastest guy sitting on his couch Super Bowl Sunday.
Congrats Bears. Maim Eli’s Brother.
“losing a game in Mile High because for whatever reason your hare lipped coach thinks the best bet is to throw a pass to a defensive lineman.”
What? Jim Flannagan wasn’t your best option? Don’t forget who was the first check down on that play.
Marcus Spears.
Leave no cliche unturned. What a bunch of nonsense.
If your boners last for more than 4 hours, you’re supposed to contact your doctor.
Anyway, I know I’m probably the least popular person on desipio right now, but congratulations anyway. I hope you kids enjoy your Super Bowl fever.
the exchange between Bradshaw and Urlcaher was just as Andy described it. As great as that pass play was, and for all of Bush’s pussy-ass back-flipping and end zone dancing, he just wasn’t fast enough to overcome the Bears. Someone forgot to tell Reggie he wasn’t playing Notre Dame.
Todd Berger, Blake Brockermeyer, Darren Lewis (not the baseball player after whom Dusty’s PR prop was named, the crappy return player), Steve Stenstrom.
It’s good to get it out.
Anybody here this?
http://www.670thescore.com/play_window.php?audioType=Episode&audioId=247418
Listen to how the question came out of Bradshaw’s mouth when he asked Lovie the “black” question. It’s about half-way through the clip. Apologies in advance for linking to the SCORE but I think that sound bite needs more play.
Congrats Chicago….Can we PLEASE do this on the north side this year too?
I like to watch the TV, Andy.
What exchange between Urlacher and Brandshaw? What happened?
No love for me? I played for the Bears during The Interregnum. I was supposed to be the next Dick Butkus! Instead, I was more like Courtney Cox. With a bad coke habit. And a lisp.
It sounded like I said, “What does this mean to the N-words?”
It’s not what I said, but because I’m such a spastic dumbass hillbilly, that’s how it sounds.
No, really, Urlacher didn’t say it how people here are characterizing him as having said it. You can watch the video. He tells Bradshaw that Bush is really fast, sounds legitimately impressed, and then mumbles something about how HE, Urlacher, just “wasn’t fast enough, I guess.” On that play. It wasn’t a shot at Bush. I know you all would apparently get a kick out of him delivering a lame one-liner to stick it to one of the NFL’s up-and-coming assholes, but he didn’t. Urlacher is a class guy. He didn’t say anything about it in post-game interviews, I doubt he’d have said it immediately after complimenting Bush, and having just won the NFC title.
The mention of Carlos Huerta stings. Butler was the last member of the ’85 team, he’d had a perfect preseason (or at least as good as Huerta’s), and Wannstedt cut him out of spite. For a kicker who, it turned out, wouldn’t make it past, what, week 8? Probably the worst kicker in modern Bears history. That was about it for Wannstedt here in Chicago.
I also shanked a gimme FG in ’93 against Oakland, and missed another what-would-have-been-a-game-winner against Pittsburgh in ’95. Bears lost both games and missed the playoffs both seasons by one game.
Not to defend the Hair Lip, but I think the fact that I could be singled out as the one player who stood in the way of Wanny making the playoffs in each of the his first three seasons justifies him canning my whiny ass.
Get over the butthead love. I was nothing but a fag soccer player who got to ride the cottails of the baddest team in your lifetimes.
If turning around and taunting the opposition on a long touchdown is such classless thing to do, I’d probably better stop doing it.
Nah.
Actually, yea, it was classless when Hester did it, and when Samardzija did it.
And no one will mistake Butler for a great kicker, but you only cut him if you’ve got a better kicker on the roster. Butler lasted on the Bears for 11 years. The guy who “beat him out” didnt make it 8 games. That means Wannstedt f’d up.
Hey I picked the winner didn’t I. C’mom love me. Hey pass that wine bottle down here, or, hell , just order five more.
Hey smarty pants, when granny kicks off, and I get the keys to her office, Dave and I will make you pay. Now, I’ve gotta restock my suite with juice boxes and oatmeal cookies.
Urlacher also said, immediately after :not fast enough, I guess..”
“We won the game.”
It wasn’t him being impressed, you simpleton He was being sarcastic, as in “I can’t believe that you asked me about that idiot, and not about the fact that we’re going to the Super Bowl….aren’t you due on the set of Failure To Launch 2?”
Urlacher also said, immediately after :not fast enough, I guess..”
“We won the game.”
It wasn’t him being impressed, you simpleton! He was being sarcastic, as in “I can’t believe that you asked me about that idiot, and not about the fact that we’re going to the Super Bowl….aren’t you due on the set of Failure To Launch 2?”
When Reggie Bush gets his 6th return TD, and 2nd in one game, he can dance in the endzone and taunt, too. Until then….not so much.
Hester is Steak Balls.
I don’t think it’s cool to taunt before or after you score a touchdown, but let me play devil’s advocate for a second. Don’t you think that Reggie gets his fair share of smack talk and “yo momma” jokes while on the field? Sure he does…after all, it’s not really his fault that the media are complete incompetent jackasses and decided to don him their darling.
So, when he burns the best linebacker in football, I think he deserves to give as good as he gets. I’m saying I’m cool with it or that I would do it myself (this, of course, entails that I could outrun Urlacher–I might, because it would certainly mean imminent death if I didn’t).
I agree that Urlacher wasn’t impressed with Bush. There was no question in between him saying, “yeah right, yeah he’s fast” and “not fast enough.”
Anyway, lame argument, how many yards did Bush run for? How many points did the Saints score? How many did they score after Bush taunted Urlacher? How many times did they have a lead in that game?
19
14
0
Never
At least Devin taunts when his team is winning…
Shit…the middle of my second sentence, second paragraph should read:
“I’m NOT saying…” Sorry, guys. I guess I’m an incompetent jackass, too.
Uh, I was the one responsible for covering Bush, not the best linebacker in football who covered him quite handily when assigned to him.
Follow along, morons.
First he compliments Bush’s speed. Not at all sarcastically. Then he says, self-deprecatingly, that he (Urlacher) wasn’t fast enough. That’s the “not fast enough, I guess” line. Then he says “we won the game”, as in, “eh, oh well, we still won the game.”
And to the Saints fan who said Bush was “giving as he gets” by taunting a guy who on the field is nothing but class, you’re dumb, too. Face it, Bush is a jackass. His “class” is a media myth. USC won’t let him on the sidelines during bowl games because (along w/ sc coaches) he violated about 50 NCAA rules.
> So, when he burns the best linebacker in football, I think he deserves to give as good as he gets.
When did Reggie Bush burn the best linebacker in football?
On that 88 yd TD he burned Chris Harris on a bump, avoided a diving Lance Briggs tackle and burned rookie Danieal Manning in the open field. And, yes, no one could catch him after he burned the safety.
The only Bush-Urlacher match up I specifically recall is when Brian covered Bush off the line for a down. Brees looked and wanted to throw, but couldn’t. Bush wasn’t open.
I guess he really wasn’t fast enough.
> I guess he really wasn’t fast enough.
That is, “he (Bush) really wasn’t fast enough.”
Chris Harris:
Sorry. Okay, so you’re the one who got burnt. Urlacher got burnt, also. But, I’m not saying that’s some sort of feat or accomplishment. After all, a running back should be able to run by most linebackers.
#32:
Until you’re on the field and get a gaff from Reggie Bush himself, you can shut up. All I know is that Reggie has been nothing but class since being in New Orleans. He has done a lot for the city and the franchise. Now, if he did in fact break NCAA rules, then that’s another story and I won’t back him on something like that. But, as far as this year goes, I’m very proud of how he’s handled himself.
#33:
I thought Urlacher was sprinting down the field after Reggie after Reggie got by the defense…meaning, he was trying to catch up with him. Am I getting the play all wrong? I thought Urlacher was chasing him at the end of the play, and that’s when Reggie turned and pointed.
I just watched the play on Youtube, and Urlacher tries to reach Bush after midfield. He has a nice burst of speed, but can’t quite catch him. That’s all I was trying to say. Nice hustle by Urlacher…
I’m willing to give Bush a apss.
Imagine you’re a rookie and you’re playing in the conference championship game. You’re still int the game, only 9 down when you get sprung on a play. After completely schooling another rookie along the sideline you run for daylight. You’re on your way to making this a 2 point game. You get inside fifteen and you turn to see who’s behind you, and it’s none other than big #54. You got him beat. You can’t help yourself.
I’m no Reggie Bush fan, but I can forgive him for a spontaneous act of douchebaggery. If anything he ought to be embarrassed for not “acting like he’d been there before” but, rather, like a 17 year old high school girl after her second wine cooler.
It’s certainly not worth getting so excited about, particularly for Bears fans. We won the stinkin’ game. Reggie can enjoy the Super Bowl on television.
Mike D.:
I agree…it was douchebaggery. I like that word. Nice work. And, it was her third wine cooler…
I’m sure that the only reason Love-E looked back and smiled at Peterson was because he realized how much he actually does look like Whoopie Goldbergs little sister.
I thought Urlacher was sprinting down the field after Reggie after Reggie got by the defense…meaning, he was trying to catch up with him. Am I getting the play all wrong? I thought Urlacher was chasing him at the end of the play, and that’s when Reggie turned and pointed.
…
I just watched the play on Youtube, and Urlacher tries to reach Bush after midfield. He has a nice burst of speed, but can’t quite catch him. That’s all I was trying to say. Nice hustle by Urlacher…
My only point was that I couldn’t recall Bush ever burning Urlacher in that game.
He never puts a move on the guy or speeds past him. He just beats him to the end zone with, what (I’m going by memory here), a ten yard head start?
Now, Tom Brady… there’s someone who can legitimately say he’s burned #54.
#41.:
You’re right…he didn’t burn Urlacher. That’s my bad. He burns #46 and #33 (Tillman?). That Tom Brady put some statue-like move on Urlacher. That was more luck than anything. #54 want’s that moment back.
Bears 39 Saints 14…In loving memory Rashaan Salaam (sp) Puff Puff Pass bitches!
Wait, the Bears don’t have to replay the NFC Championship game again do they?
It’s not like Bush has a monopoly on unsportmanlike behavior. Happens all the time in possibly almost every game in college and pro. I’m of the mindset that you should act like you’ve been there before, but I also understand letting emotion takeover.
This is going to be a long 2 weeks.
What the hell is wrong with you people?
Here’s what was actually said:
Retard: Now, One, One little question: Howie Long wanted me to ask you. Was. Was that Bush guy that fast? We thought you were gunna catch him.
Urlacher: Yeah right. He’s fast. Umm, not fast enough. But we got the job done today and we’re excited for our fans.
Now, this brings up the question of did Urlacher mean “I’m not fast enough” or “Bush wasn’t fast enough considering we beat the shit out of his team”.
The answer is pretty obvious: none of us has any idea unless one of you are Urlacher, and anyone who wants to argue the meaning and claim to have a definite truth is an idiot.
I like Andy’s interpretation, feel free to have your own, but don’t pretend to know what was going on in someone else’s brain.
We can use all the excuses in the world as to why we lost and we can focus on 2 plays that got us close enough to call it a close game. But we can never say we had a chance to win that game. We never controlled the ball, the clock & Chicago’s Defense. We should be men and accept the fact we were not ready to play in this game, just like the Bears were not prepared for Carolina last year. We can only hope that our city’s name doesn’t change to Atlantis and we mirror the Bears in 07-08′. All that hype for a week about how good our two-back tandum was but when it came to game time, the “Coach of the Year” forgot what got him that far, pounding the ball. Again we never had a chance to win this game no matter what BS spews from our fans mouths. GO BEARS!!!
Can I be the back up in Indy instead of Sorgi for the Superbowl Dad? Can I please? Please!?!
Reading the actual quote it seems obvious, in that context, that he was saying he (urlacher) wasn’t fast enough on that play. It’s the only way it makes sense. To say that Bush wasn’t fast enough (the one liner everyone wishes he said) and then begin the next sentence with “But we got the job done today…” wouldn’t make sense. And Urlacher is a dumb jock but I’ve never seen him unable to speak coherently.
Oh the difference punctuation makes. The actual Urlacher response goes: “Yeah, right…He’s fast. Not fast enough – we got the job done today and we’re excited for our fans.”
Gloss it this way: “No shit Bush is fast. But he wasn’t fast enough to win the game, now, was he? Dickhead.”
The question; “Urlacher vs. God in a golf match?”
The answer; “Urlacher by 12 strokes my friend, unless it’s a little Urlacher, then Urlacher by 6 strokes.”
You may not be able to get into Urlacher’s head and definitively say what he meant by that, but if you follow Bears football whatsoever then you know his personality. He is also the same guy who has been constantly quoted saying the Bears aren’t the best team in the NFC and that they’re the worst 13-3 team in history…with a straight face. Now if you also think that he’s being serious about that then you’re an idiot. Everything that comes out of his mouth is dry sarcasm and you can hardly tell that he’s joking. But if you’d follow the team, its pretty clear. Dickfaces. So let’s shut up about it already. Bush IS fast. If he burned Urlacher, then he also burned Ian Scott on the play, and ever other Bear. Urlacher is just fast enough that he was actually able to make up ground on Bush on that play. Bears won by lots of points. Bears in the Super Bowl. Enough Saints talk, we have the Colts to play, and beat.
Hey guys, need an extra HB in the Super Bowl?
Hey guys, need an extra HB in the Super Bowl?
Dudes, I’m trying to let Lovie let me help around on the sidelines for the big game, you know, cause I’m a players coach dude.
Hey need an extra Rashaan Salaam joke? They’re lame no matter how many times they’re posted!
I think I found Raasham.
I think I found Raasham.
Sorry to name drop and show off in this post, but I was impressed by what I saw and have to convey it. I was in New Orleans for Jazz Fest last May and eating at Emeril’s on the night that Reggie Bush arrived in New Orleans. Peyton and Bush and about a dozen other people whom I didn’t recognize came to the restaurant and sat at the table next to ours. (Me and Mrs Cubbieblue) When they entered the restaurant the place went absolutely crazy with men in suits and women in fancy dresses standing on chairs and chanting “Reggie, Reggie” You immediately realized how important getting Bush was to that community at that time, and even I, a die hard California Bear fan (and Chicago Bear fan-it saves expenses on sweat shirts and caps when both of your teams are da Bears) had to smile about a ray of hope for something distracting coming to these folks. My wife, who went with me to see Cal play USC both in Berkeley and LA thought that Peyton was Bush the way he was waving to the people in the restaurant, but I told her it was the guy who looked like Blair Underwood.
I’ll have another Gin and tonic.
I think that the people in that city needed a stud running back to be a ray of hope, rather than just, I dunno, having the possibility of moving to a living city as a ray of hope, kind of means they’re stupid, and don’t deserve hope. It sucks that it happened but guess what, people lose their lives and their homes in natural disasters in this country (mudslides, quakes, hurricanes, floods) all the time, and no one ever talks about those people needing a “ray of hope” draft pick for the local sports team. Maybe because it’s unrealistic and stupid, as people should be looking to practical things like moving away, rebuilding, or getting jobs and starting anew elsewhere.
These are folks who already made their minds up to stay. People who were not flooded out, or, if they were, had the werewithal to rebuild. By and large they were people with jobs, or were well off enough not to need to work. Or they were people who were resilient and tough, or all of the above. Personally I respect them, just as I respect those who rebuilt Chicago in 1871, or closer to home, those who rebuilt in my neighborhood after the Loma Prieta quake in 1989 or the Oakland-Berkeley hills fire in 1991. Having a stud running back doesn’t solve anyone’s problems. Having a World Series winner on the North Side of Chicago or a Super Bowl winner isn’t going to make me a better person, but it is going to make me a happier person for some unexplained reason.
why is the happiness of someone who can afford saints tickets (in other words, someone whose life has not been turned upside-down) more important than my happiness, or more important of the happiness of the poor people of houston, who not only didn’t get reggie bush, but also had the bad luck to have the new orleans jail population sent in? i think we all should have felt bad for the houston people this season, and rooted for the texans. the people we’re all fawning over down there are not down there anymore. they’re dead or they’ve relocated. the people in new orleans are for the most part well off enough to immediately rebuild there or to have stayed there, their stuff not having gotten destroyed. the people attending saints game are not the poor blacks or poor whites whose neighborhoods were drowned or washed away.
still, i’m glad harry connick jr has a good rb to root for. it eases my mind.
Ok, you win
BEAR DIGNITY!!!
Hey #55 “Extra Post”…
Q: How many Rashaan Salaams does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: 3, one to screw in the bulb, one to roll the blunt, and one to pull the stick out of your ass (sideways) while you read all these “lame” Salaam jokes.
Anyone seen my Polident?
…and the NCAA-rule-violating horse he rode in on!
We rocked them like a hurricane! What, too soon?
oooooooooooooooooooooook
…worst arguement ever.
Based upon your logic, none of us will get any happiness out of the Bears winning the superbowl becuase we wont have tickets to the game.