Football Talk – Da Bears

By Someone Who Knows Nothing (and proves it regularly.)

‘Tis the preseason to be couchy. What an excellent diversion from my normal topic of conversation. Like last season, my football posts will be few and far between because who cares to read the thoughts of someone with my limited knowledge? There are more than enough sports writers and retired players who offer meaningful insight. 

So why read this? I offer what no one else will:

• I critique team costumes.
• I don’t like Aaron Rodgers.
• I freely betray my homeland by rooting for whichever team is actually good, because let’s be honest: football’s only fun when the football is good. Am I right?

I was born a Chicago Bears fan, (classic costumes) through no fault of my own. I do love my sweatshirt purchased a few years my after birth, I won’t say how many. I still have it and wear it. “34 Sweetness” Walter Payton was a running back for the Bears the year they won the Super Bowl, 1985. That championship was a one and done for the team, which is why I stopped watching football—

Until January 2023, when Buffalo Bills #3, Damar Hamlin, collapsed from cardiac arrest mid-game and lived to tell the story. Not exactly the usual reason someone starts liking a sport, I’ll admit.

“No, Damar Hamlin does not have an underlying heart condition. He experienced a cardiac arrest due to commotio cordis, a rare event caused by a blow to the chest at a specific moment during the heartbeat. This disruption of the heart’s normal rhythm is what led to his collapse.” ~NPR

*This phenomenon has occurred in other sports, like hockey (a puck to the chest) and baseball. 

How Damar Hamlin’s cardiac arrest affected the sporting world – ESPN

Anywho, Hamlin is still playing for Buffalo, and they played against Chicago in a preseason game last night.

I believe I’ve sacrificed a lot to watch the Bears play. I do it for my 91-year-old mom, because she has remained a faithful Bears fan, and watching football is one of the few activities we have in common. 

For me, football is only fun to watch when the teams are good—think Commanders, Bengals, Eagles, Chiefs, and Lions. Watching the Bears these past few years for mummy has been torture. 

But this is a new season, with a different coach and fresh players, so we’ll hope for the best. Preseason started last week. Last Sunday, we watched the Bears play Miami. (I’m not a fan of turquoise) Both teams used their second- and third-string players.

Me: “Maaaaa, what’s the point of watching the game when it’s not the actual team?”

She must not have been wearing her hearing aid because she didn’t respond. It ended in a tie, which is a thing in the preseason—no overtime, thank God. 

Week two, last night, the Bears hosted the Bills at Soldier Field. The Bears played all three of their quarterbacks, but the Bills kept star quarterback Josh Allen out. (Bills uniform is good.) The game ended with a score of 38-0… The flocking BEARS WON! They looked like a solid team that won’t be torture to watch. I’m actually excited.

Had Josh Allen played, I’m pretty sure Buffalo would have had a better game, but preseason games don’t count; it’s not worth risking injury. That point was driven home.

The Bears win came at a cost: there were three injuries (that we know of) last night. Because I’ve written about non-contact injuries caused on artificial turf, I should mention this stadium has a natural grass playing surface on the field, and the weather was perfect. The injury that seemed the most serious was non-contact.

Cornerback Terrell Smith and a teammate were chasing down the ball carrier when Smith suddenly crumpled. The replays suggested a twisted knee—he was in agony, clutching his bent leg. When the cart came out, it was clear this wasn’t routine; most players insist on walking off, flanked by medics or not, even with bones jutting through the skin. (I’m exaggerating.) Worse still, Smith draped a towel over his head as they drove him away. You could tell he was sobbing.

I checked the internet today for an update, and there are none. But there were questions about whether the Bears could still acquire a new cornerback. That’s way harsh.

Austin Booker, an edge rusher, also left the game with a knee injury.

Deion Hankins had been released from ‘concussion protocol’ for the game. He hopped off the field with the third knee injury. 

Here is ESPN’s complete list of injured Bears:

https://www.espn.com/nfl/team/injuries/_/name/chi/chicago-bears

In conclusion, flag football is gaining popularity.

The NFL doesn’t hesitate to cut an injured player, no matter how much sweat, sacrifice, or pain went into getting there. Players devote their entire lives, and only a lucky few even get drafted. To get to that point and be injured in a preseason game … I’d be sobbing too.