It has been a pretty embarrassing year for the Chicago Bears. It started last April when the Bears front office staff brought the entire NFL draft to a grinding halt. It continued after the lockout ended when the front office made several questionable personnel decisions. Then of course, there was the embarrassment of the Solider Field turf, and I haven't even gotten to the Chester Tailor incident. Someone is obviously asleep at the wheel, and the Bears reputation not only with its fans and players has being affected, but its standing with the 31 other NFL teams is certainly being affected.
Let us start with the incident at the NFL draft. The Baltimore Ravens believe, and have said publicly, that the Bears duped them on purpose. They claim that the Bears purposely misled them and the rest of the NFL by not turning in a trade request within the allotted time. If that is true, the Bears are guilty of fraud and there is no other way to say that. NFL clubs should not conduct themselves in this way (if it is true of course).
That of course brings me to the handling of longtime Center Olin Kreutz. This was a very popular player in the locker room, and teams always have to treat those kinds of players a tad differently. It looks like the Bears gave him a take it or leave it offer, with an hour deadline no less. Granted some of that is rumor, but Kreutz did what we expected him too, and the Bears told him not to let the door hit him in he ass on the way out. This has upset many within that locker room.
We can sort of but the turf problem aside, but I find it curios that no one at the Bears of Solider Field looked out their office windows and saw a potential problem, nor took action to deal with it. Then again, if he team cannot even decide who is cut and who isn't, then maybe we have the why to behind how something like this could happen.
The Bears have all the problems other NFL teams have. They have made some mistakes in the draft, taken flyers on guys that were utterly worthless, and sure, other NFL teams alienate their players and fans too. However, it is the Bears turn to look a little foolish and foolish is what they appear to be right now.
Related Links:
• Chicago Bears news and notes
• Joshua Lobdell.com
