Thank You Chicago Bears

                If you told me 10 years ago, that I would be sitting at a Blackhawks game cheering while the crowd goes ballistic because the Bears QB was there, I’m not sure I would have believed you.  For starters, I was not a Blackhawks fan back then.  Secondly, cheering for a Bears QB?  Ok pal.  Sure.  If you told me this a couple years into living in Chicago I still wouldn’t believe you.  Why the hell would we ever be proud of our QB?

                Caleb Williams has done something to this city that I haven’t seen before in my limited time here.  Personally, I always felt that more people showed baseball pride outwardly.  Lot of Cubs gear year round, a good amount of Sox representation as well.  Bears?  Maybe in season, but it didn’t feel as “fervent”.  It didn’t feel like a part of the city’s identity to me at least.  I always found this funny because everyone says “Chicago is a football town”, but I never “really” saw it.  This has been the year that I saw it.  A city at full fever pitch – for a second year QB and first year HC.

                When Caleb Williams was put on the Blackhawks jumbotron, you would have thought the place was going to erupt.  Later on in a crowd effort to get him back on, the stadium broke out into an ear-splitting “GREEN BAY SUCKS” chant.  They put him back on. We're coming off a playoff loss and everyone has just nothing but love for this kid.

                A 24 year old athlete has given this city so much love and so much hope.  We may have lost in a gut-wrenching fashion to the LA Rams, but I think I speak for a lot if not all Bears fans when I say this.  There has never ever been a better time to be a Bears fan since 1985.  Sure, we’re all sad about the loss, but the overwhelming love and hope and optimism that this city and these fans have is palpable.  I predicted what?  8-9 for this season which was a very reasonable take on the season.  Excuse my language but MOTHERFUCKER, we went eleven and six!!! 11-6!!!!!! We beat the Packers twice at home!  We went a good stretch of games right through that Rams game where Caleb was making the greatest throw you’ve ever seen!!  What is happening?!

                Not that I am expert, but a few things I’d like to see improve next season:

1.      The defense – I think this speaks for itself

2.      Ben Johnson has to know when to do the big play versus taking the points.  This is obviously a difficult and nuanced opinion and yes, the miracle plays did work out.  However, part of Dan Campbell’s success is that he knows when and where to do the big play, not just that he can call the big play.  I need some more nuance from Ben Johnson.

3.      Better check down routes.  Kind of in line with the above.  Sometimes it is ok to just get the yards for a first down and stay consistently alive throughout the game.

4.      Less Cardiac Bears and more Total and Complete Domination Bears

I don’t know how next season ends.  I was obviously wrong about this season.  What I can say though, is that I am hopeful.  I truly believe wholeheartedly in this team for the first time in forever.  I believe that if we tighten up, we can go all the way.  Will we?  Maybe, maybe not.  But I believe we can.

This has been such a special season.  I’m so grateful that I’ve gotten to share so many great games with loved ones.  A few specific games I’d like to call out that will forever stick with me.  Seeing the Saints with the best tickets/seats I’ve ever sat in with my parents for my birthday.  Watching the ridiculous Bengals game at Cody’s with my best friend Spencer.  Watching the Bears Steelers as a house-warming party at Jack Malec’s place with Paul, Dan, and Spencer.  The Wild Card playoff game against the Packers in Boulder.  Lastly, the Rams game with Spencer, his lovely wife Kate (G), Katie P, Dan, Jose, Jack, and Dan’s brother.

Before I wrap this up, thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read this.  Somehow this blog has turned into half Bears talk/half personal diary.  It means a lot to me that someone out there is reading this.  Among other reasons, writing in “this style” has inspired me to write more fiction.  I’ve started writing children’s books/early reader books.  I have two written and am in the middle of a third.  If anyone is interested in reading them, feel free to reach out to me personally.  I am looking for an illustrator if anyone here is good with art or knows someone good at art.  I am very proud of how these stories are turning out so far.

Thank you Bears, thank you Ben Johnson, thank you Caleb Williams, and thank you friends, family, and loved ones.  Love you guys.  Thanks for being a part of this wonderful and special season with me.  Here’s to the 2026 season.  Cheers and Bear Down.

GOOD BETTER BEST!

THE ICEMAN and (future Cubs legend) Pete Crow-Armstrong