Packer fans feeling this today?

[GrnBay007]

Mike Vandermause column: Bears are winning, but they aren't winners


By Mike Vandermause

"The Bears are who we thought they were."


Dennis Green, the now-fired coach of the Cardinals, made that infamous statement in an angry postgame news conference this past season after Arizona staged a memorable fourth-quarter collapse against the Chicago Bears.

Thoughts about the Bears vary, but my guess is at least 99 percent of Packers fans will be rooting against them today in their NFC championship game clash against the New Orleans Saints.

If there's one theme that is shared universally among Packers fans, it's that the Bears always will stink.

It has nothing to do with jealousy. It has everything to do with a bitter rivalry that is 85 years old.

No doubt Bears fans are puffing out their chests this week with pride and looking down on the Packers. They should savor moments like this, because they have been so rare in recent years.

In the storied history of the NFL, the Packers have won more championships and playoff games than the Bears.

Chicago fans correctly will point out the Bears lead the all-time series with the Packers. They will fail to mention that much of that advantage was gained in the leather-helmet era. The Packers hold a 55-43 edge over the last 50 years, and have won 22 of the last 29 meetings.

Incredibly, the Packers have toppled the Bears on the road 12 of the last 13 games, including a 26-7 beat-down at Soldier Field less than three weeks ago. In those 12 victories, the Packers have won by an average of 12½ points. If you can't defend your home turf better than that, there is no basis for bragging rights of any kind.

Even now, when they are one victory short of a Super Bowl berth, the Bears suffer from a major case of insecurity. Bears players were whining this week about how they don't get enough respect.

Apparently they don't realize that respect must be earned. This is a team that won its first playoff game in 12 years last Sunday, and even then barely escaped in overtime, at home, against the injury-ravaged Seattle Seahawks.

It's hard to respect a team quarterbacked by Rex Grossman, who said after his miserable performance (0.0 passer rating) against the Packers on Dec. 31 that he didn't give 100 percent in preparation for the game. It was a bad excuse for his horrendous showing, and it spoke to his integrity that as a team leader, he would consider giving less than his best.

Even in the midst of a winning season, Grossman comes off looking like a loser.

And so it goes with the Bears.

Can you imagine the Packers' Brett Favre having that kind of attitude? It's unthinkable, and helps explain why the Bears have gone through 20 starting quarterbacks since Favre took over the Packers' offense in 1992.

Win or lose today, the Bears are who we thought they were. Packers fans know exactly what I'm talking about.

Mike Vandermause is sports editor of the Press-Gazette.


http://greenbaypressgazette.packersn...701210736/1989

[MJZiggy]

I love it. He's absolutely right.

[red]

good greif, the guy got the cardinal rule all wrong

the first damn thing any packer fan is tought from the second they're born

the bears don't "stink"

the bears SUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Rastak]

I've said it before, as a Viking fan I really don't have the hatred for the Bears. GB is the Vikings main rival. Kind of odd since Minnesota and Chicago have been doing battle now for some 46 years. Not exactly as long as GB and Chicago but a pretty long time anyway.

[Packers4Ever]

I visited a sports' website just a little south of our border
last night and I am so tempted to post this great piece of
"the real story" on that site. Wish I had seen this earlier.

Many of their readers/fans were bragging about their team
and most gave some good reasons why. But it seemed to me
that more were on the verge of panic over what they would be
witnessing this afternoon and were badly in need of reassurance
that they would be 'ok.' and would indeed win the game.
It would have been comical if it weren't so sad.

So sit back, Packers' fans and enjoy the game and (hopefully)
watch the Bears get taken apart piece by piece !

[Rastak]

I visited a sports' website just a little south of our border
last night and I am so tempted to post this great piece of
"the real story" on that site. Wish I had seen this earlier.

Many of their readers/fans were bragging about their team
and most gave some good reasons why. But it seemed to me
that more were on the verge of panic over what they would be
witnessing this afternoon and were badly in need of reassurance
that they would be 'ok.' and would indeed win the game.
It would have been comical if it weren't so sad.

So sit back, Packers' fans and enjoy the game and (hopefully)
watch the Bears get taken apart piece by piece !


Thing is, they SHOULD be concerned. Their defense has been up and down the whole second half of the season. When your defense is inconsistent the ole "any given Sunday" comes into play. And I like the Saints offense so I'd be damn worried too.

[red]

on any given day grossman can have a great day, or throw 8 int's

bears fans shouldn't be comfortable at all until its all over

you just have no clue with him

[]{ilr]3]

LOL, thats good stuff! :lol:

I always like Mikes stuff 8)

[lord favre]

on any given day grossman can have a great day, or throw 8 int's

bears fans shouldn't be comfortable at all until its all over

you just have no clue with him

Gee, sounds like some other NFC gunslinger...except one is reaching his prime and the other is a washed has been.

[retailguy]

on any given day grossman can have a great day, or throw 8 int's

bears fans shouldn't be comfortable at all until its all over

you just have no clue with him

Gee, sounds like some other NFC gunslinger...except one is reaching his prime and the other is a washed has been.


you can't seriously be comparing wrecks to Favre? Even you can't be that STUPID... enjoy your win, but c'mon, keep them feet on the ground...

LMAO! You are too funny.

[BEARMAN]

Life look a whole lot better from on TOP ! :lol:

So, this is what it feels like, to be winners, to be on top, to be incharge, ... I LIKE IT ! :D

Go BEARS Go !

[Iron Mike]

Life look a whole lot better from on TOP ! :lol:

So, this is what it feels like, to be winners, to be on top, to be incharge, ... I LIKE IT ! :D

Go BEARS Go !

You know--you could have just started a thread with the same comment and got it deleted!!!! :twisted:

[Iron Mike]

on any given day grossman can have a great day, or throw 8 int's

bears fans shouldn't be comfortable at all until its all over

you just have no clue with him

Gee, sounds like some other NFC gunslinger...except one has three league MVPs and a Superbowl Champion ring, and the other just managed to make it through a whole season without going on IR.

True dat, LF!!!! :P

[BEARMAN]

What gives ? I have been cool all week, no trolling, I haven't come on here talkin chit, and when my beloved BEARS win a game everyone was saying we would loose, and are going to the SB, I come on to bask in the sun alittle and get shot down, sorry, I'll not rain on your all's parade, see ya next year.

Go BEARS Go !

[lord favre]

on any given day grossman can have a great day, or throw 8 int's

bears fans shouldn't be comfortable at all until its all over

you just have no clue with him

Gee, sounds like some other NFC gunslinger...except one has three league MVPs and a Superbowl Champion ring, and the other just managed to make it through a whole season without going on IR.

True dat, LF!!!! :P

You forgot one is playing in the superbowl this year and one is mowing his lawn...

[lord favre]

on any given day grossman can have a great day, or throw 8 int's

bears fans shouldn't be comfortable at all until its all over

you just have no clue with him

Gee, sounds like some other NFC gunslinger...except one is reaching his prime and the other is a washed has been.


you can't seriously be comparing wrecks to Favre? Even you can't be that STUPID... enjoy your win, but c'mon, keep them feet on the ground...

LMAO! You are too funny.

No, Grossman got his team to the big game in his first full season, took Favre a few more years...

[]{ilr]3]

on any given day grossman can have a great day, or throw 8 int's

bears fans shouldn't be comfortable at all until its all over

you just have no clue with him

Gee, sounds like some other NFC gunslinger...except one is reaching his prime and the other is a washed has been.


you can't seriously be comparing wrecks to Favre? Even you can't be that STUPID... enjoy your win, but c'mon, keep them feet on the ground...

LMAO! You are too funny.

No, Grossman got his team to the big game in his first full season, took Favre a few more years...

robbie gold had more to do with it than grossman.

[red]

grossman had absolutely nothing to do with the win today, i hate how they kept zooming in on him, even after the drive where they ran the ball everytime to score. he did shit in this game, except get lucky on a lob that was way underthrown and the cb didn't have a clue what was going on.

to his credit, he didn't do anything to lose the game, but he sure as hell didn't do anything to win it.

the bears d won this one again, and i guessed proved, if you have a great d, you can win without an O

should be a good super bowl. bears freakishly good D, against either peytons high powered attack, or calm cool and experienced brady, and a team thats been there a few times

[Guiness]

I agree Red. And I just saw an article on Sportsline titled 'Rex is King'. I guess the writers/announcers just don't know what to do if the QB didn't do something to deserve being lauded. They can't figure out what else to do, so the compliment him anyways!

OTOH I remember when Baltimore won that SB, no one said boo about their QB except to say that he didn't matter, as long as he didn't lose it all. What's different this time that Rex gets some press, and the press is looking at him as if he actually matters.

[GBRulz]

on any given day grossman can have a great day, or throw 8 int's

bears fans shouldn't be comfortable at all until its all over

you just have no clue with him

Gee, sounds like some other NFC gunslinger...except one is reaching his prime and the other is a washed has been.


you can't seriously be comparing wrecks to Favre? Even you can't be that STUPID... enjoy your win, but c'mon, keep them feet on the ground...

LMAO! You are too funny.

No, Grossman got his team to the big game in his first full season, took Favre a few more years...

It's not our problem that you have a QB made of glass

[ND72]

i guess all I'm feeling is maybe we're not that far away, yet we're so distant from our opportunities. Next year is gonna be tough with our schedule, but hopefully we can maybe make a run.

[Jerry Tagge]

What gives ? I have been cool all week, no trolling, I haven't come on here talkin chit, and when my beloved BEARS win a game everyone was saying we would loose, and are going to the SB, I come on to bask in the sun alittle and get shot down, sorry, I'll not rain on your all's parade, see ya next year.

Go BEARS Go !
You have been on your best behavior Bearman. Congrats to the 2006 NFC Champions. And I hope Manning throws 8 TD's in 2 weeks. :mrgreen:

[MJZiggy]

:shock: Wow! :shock:

Yes, Bear, you've been very good.

[Jerry Tagge]

on any given day grossman can have a great day, or throw 8 int's

bears fans shouldn't be comfortable at all until its all over

you just have no clue with him

Gee, sounds like some other NFC gunslinger...except one is reaching his prime and the other is a washed has been.
Congrats to the 2006 NFC Champs LF. But you can't seriously compare Grossman to Favre. First of all, Grossman missed more games in 1 year than Favre has his entire career with the Pack. Second, Favre has the record for most consecutive seasons throwing for 3,000 yards and 30 TD's; Grossman has 1 3,000 yard season and 0 30 TD seasons. Granted, he's young, but Grossman hasn't shown he'll be challenge those records.

Third, Favre never had games with a 10.7, 1.3, or 0.0 rating. And he had to play on New Year's Eve too you know. :mrgreen:

I hope you enjoy the 2 weeks up to the SB and the game itself. Keep coming around, you're not a bad guy for a Bears clown.

One more thing: GO COLTS!

[oregonpackfan]

Growing up in northwestern Wisconsin, I always hated the Vikings much more than the Bears.

I suppose I should root for the Bears since they are representatives of the NFC North, but it just isn't gonna happen!

[MJZiggy]

I'm glad you added that last bit, OPF. I thought I was gonna have to disown you! Go Colts!

[Fritz]

Wonder how this SB apearance will affect da Bears next year?

[oregonpackfan]

Wonder how this SB apearance will affect da Bears next year?

As long as Grossman continues to not "Be prepared" when the Bears play the Packers, that is fine with me.

[red]

Wonder how this SB apearance will affect da Bears next year?

i was thinking the same thing yesterday.

will this be a one year wonder type of thing for the bears, like we've seen out of them a few times during the favre era, or can they keep it up and have a nice run for a few years or more

they do have a lot of guys returning, and a lot of good young talent on that team. and i don't see lovie going anywhere anytime soon

could we actualy see a few games where the packers and bears are both good at the same time?