Oh, I Think So

It's hard to admit Jay Cutler was sacked four times He's not worth the dough ------------------------------ Rookie quarterback Last year he played college ball Can he save the Bears? ****************************** They bit, they chewed, they swallowed and seemed to like it. To paraphrase the song, disappointment is my closest friend when it comes to the Bears. Not much else to say.

There are a pair of notable departures this week that I wish to touch on. Best wishes to Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee, who accepted the trade to the Braves. As with most entertainers, I often wish athletes would not say very much. At all. Smile and wave, says I. The very well spoken Derrek Lee is an exception to this rule. My fingers are crossed that he gets the chance to play beyond the regular season. If he has to go, then I am glad he gets to go big with Atlanta, who are in first place. I look forward to hearing him speak about how things are going. Kudos to the fans for giving him a standing ovation when he returned in a Braves uniform days later -- a great show of thanks for seven years of solid ball. Lou Piniella was going to retire as head coach of the Chicago Cubs at the end of this season but announced today that today would be it, wanting to spend time with this ailing 90-year-old mom. Lou devoted his entire adult life to the sport of baseball and baseball loved...

On Saturday night, the Chicago Bears played their first exhibition game of the new NFL season against the San Diego Chargers. The Chicago Bears, gods from Mt. Olympus sent via airplane to play at Qualcomm Stadium, had my interest for all of about 5 minutes and then I started twirling around the TV dial, devoted to network television channel surfing. I came back to see injuries, plague, pestilence or maybe you call them injuries, penalties, and sacks. All three QBs got sacked but the money god, Jay Cutler, was taken out way early so they'd still be able to pluck him from Olympus for the opening game. I hope the injuries were neither career- nor season-ending (some of those guys were rookies). The bigger question is, why did it lose my attention? A few years ago I realized I can't go to baseball games because if they lose, I take it personally. During the winning game of Stanley Cup finals, I was very, very, very nervous because if the Hawks lost I was going to just be so...

Friday evening I went to dinner at a local hamburger joint with family members, most of whom are appalled by my admitted interest in sports, and one who seems to think it is what it is (because it is). While we dined, several soundless television sets were on, each showing a different program. One had a sports-themed show and I glanced at it only once but its topic gave me considerable pause. It was a top-ten-thus-far-or-maybe-it-was-top-ten-for-2009-but-it-was-nevertheless-a-top-ten list of things in sports. I enjoy some talking about sports but as my headline says, I know nothing of sports. I have given some thought to this, however, and have " Southwest Corner's Top Few for 2010 thus far that I can recall. " The Stanley Cup on its way to the rally 1. The Chicago Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup. Then they took the Stanley Cup everywhere -- bars, restaurants, the Crosstown Classic between the Cubs and Sox, Gay Pride Parade, to name just a few. The Hawks br...

The Thing Who Wouldn't Leave is a short book by Edward Gorey about a quarterback who enjoyed a long and successful career then retired but came back for another season then retired again and then, oh, came back for another super successful season even considering his age and who now alleges he may play another season unless he retires. No, wait. That's Brett Favre. (The Gorey tale is about an unwanted house guest.) Brett Favre is still about, y'all, and I really want to put my ugly mug in his and ask, "How can we miss you if you won't go away?" However, if what Brett really wants is to complete 20 seasons in the NFL, then I say good, great goal. go for it. He might also nut up and say, "I have been thinking about it long and hard and if it's in me, I want to do another season. I like this job too much to leave it just yet." He might also stop toying with his fans, his frenemies, his opponents, and me. He's a fine specimen of quarterbac...

Greetings, fans of football and other people who are probably sane. American football season is upon us. Over the past few years I have become enamoured of the brand of professional football played in these United States, in particular the Chicago Bears. I've no clue why it happened. It certainly embarrasses my family members. Only friends who live in far-flung suburbs watch it or care that I pay attention to it. I am not so proud of it but it is what it is. Yesterday, I had the opportunity to drive over 130 miles round trip to experience the Bears Training Camp in Bourbonnnais, IL. I am not a fan of most solo car trips. My dearest friend lives 50 miles from me but I see her perhaps three times a year because, dear god in heaven, it is one hour in a car. My personal limit is 45 minutes. My friend, as great as she is and as nice as her family might be, doesn't offer potential gridiron excitement so I ignored my rule and drove to a village near a lot of corn fields i...