Daventry

That would be another appropriate option, but bladdered is considered the more excessive term methinks...

Bladdered=UK version of "wasted" or "drunk"

I was not able to actually watch the game, but followed it on NFL.COM on play by play and have read quite a few articles. Sucks being in a place where you can't watch the game, but next week I will be watching on the big Sky.... In terms of Lovie, nothing much new here as far as I am concerned, I tend to think he may have been trying to ingratiate himself to Bears fans by going for it on the 4th down call. Overall I think the game shows, again, that he is not a smart coach. As does the drafting, personnel decisions, and public persona. I am heartened by the D, and Url's, performance. I don't like Url much, I feel he is an overpaid lout, but if he can get back to his closer to prime form, then hey, I will hold my nose and tolerate him. Overall, the D seemed to do pretty well. It gives me hope that Marinelli might live up to the hype and we might actually see a good D this year. On O, I am overall heartened. The fumbles/turnovers/drops suck, but let's see how the year pans out. I will not consider the players undisciplined or error prone until it becomes a pattern. Forte had some great plays, the passing game put up some big numbers. Promising. Overall, it appears to me that if the team develops from here we could have a winning record this year. I don't hope for much more, but will happily take anything more offered. So, diehard Bears fan I will remain, and hope that the year shows good things. If not, I will continue to use the Sundays as an excuse to get bladdered and watch the Bears!

There never is a guarantee, but let's not confuse this team with the 84/85 Bears, as I noticed the Bears official site seemed to be doing as well recently with their comparison of the 85 and current teams poor preseason record. The 84 Bears went deep in the playoffs and lost to a tough 49ers team. This team sucked last year, this year have made some limited improvements in personnel, changed various coordinators, and enter the year with little sign of consistency or excellence. If this team even had a winning record it would have to be considered a success, and if they made it to the playoffs it would have to be the biggest surprise in the NFL. I am a Bears fan, but let's be realistic. I hope I am wrong, but I am prepared to be thrilled with a winning record this year.....

I don't think we are particularly worse, but I don't think we definitely improved that much overall either. All depends on how the young guys, ie WR, perform, I suppose. However, with a new offence in place and the possible adjustment to that we could really struggle on offence....

Sorry, I meant to say it is too bad that we can"t have him WITHOUT LS and the most of the rest of the coaches.

From what little I read, Martz was seen to be arrogant and difficult. Regardless, I am happy to give him a chance, his credentials overshadow all who have preceded him for many years. Let's hope that he can kick some butt this year! I wish we could have him with LS and most of his crew...

I hate naysayers and Chicken Littles, but I think that our year will be well over well before the last 4 games.....

That is surprising, the impression I have had is he is a solid all-round guy. Maybe Tice does not agree?

I hope you are right, and think you might be. I definitely think the promise is there, but promise is just that. Hopefully everything will pan out.

Exactly....we have guys who everyone knows have promise, but every team has guys who look like they could be great at some points and then turn out to be nothing. There is not a single WR on the Bears roster who could be considered a solid starter IMO.

Yep, it will be interesting to see if Afalava will stick with another team this year. I am betting he will.

I have little doubt that we are not going to be much good this year....but I still have kool-aid type hope as I bleed blue and orange and always will. 1. New systems take time to be effective, and one as complex as the one Martz brings to the O is more than consistent with that belief. 2. Defense has been a problem for the last few years, nothing much is different this year except JP, and one could argue that there is less reason to be optimistic about the DT position. 3. We are very suspect in regards to leadership and coaching. There is a smell emanating from the top that stinks to the bowels. Lovie's regime is rotten and there is no reason to have any confidence in a ship he captains. 4. We have lost all 4 pre-season games and looked bad doing it. All of the bullshit aside, come on, if it looks like shit and smells like shit, it very likely is shit. I could be more specific and detailed, but enough said. Jarret Payton seems to think 9-7, and that sounds about right to me. I just pray that is enough to get rid of LS, if not, I am going to give more money to the guys who put up billboards to get rid of him. We have sucked long enough.

It was a big mistake to give BU that contract, especially the additional money recently, as he is clearly on the decline and is not worthy of icon money due to his complete lack character. We should have told him to leave if he wanted more money and looked for someone happy to pay him, we could have probably even had a draft pick in addition. Linebackers are a dime a dozen nowadays and we never would have suffered on the field without him, and off the field his absence would have been very positive.

I know it has been debated before, but I say again how strange it is to have a rookie come in and start 13 games and the next season be released. Something does not smell right at all, and I really suspect that these kinds of scenarios have to do with the player in question having some kind of issue with the coaching staff, or LS, and being put in the doghouse.

Haha, I knew that would get some Url lovers out of the closet..... I would be happy to see him go, as I said before. Url is not a difference maker anymore and his act is old IMO....

MY GOD, you aren't suggesting that God Urlacher be traded are you? Head for the hills, you are about to be pilloried around these parts. As for me, the sooner he went the better if we could get a decent player/pick for him. He is well past his prime and a loud mouthed lout. I would hate to let go of Harris or Tillman....and Wolfe, but feel we have little chose with him. I doubt we could get much for Harris....I would not mind Olsen going as we have too many TE's anyway, as long as we could get a decent player or pick for him. I would not let go of Hester unless we were getting big compensation.

Absolutely, although I do not want to jump to that conclusion yet and still hold out some hope for the season. That being said, Lovie sucks and needs to be gone from Chicago.

I find it is so easy to drink the kool-aid, but this team looks bad so far and the question marks going in, ie OLine, offence getting on board with Martz, do not look good so far. I hope I am wrong...

Great article, thanks for sharing. I have always thought that the Bears as an organisation were a gold mine that was not being managed nearly as profitably or well as it could be.

I think we may well be in for a long and difficult season.

Kind of makes me wish the Bears would tank the season so we could get rid of Lovie....hahaha, just kidding!

I am right with you on being done with Lovie.....I am two seasons done with him.

I refuse to be cynical and write off the season....but The Oline is a huge question mark and I would be very surprised if it improves greatly from last year. If we are to be successful, ie a winning record, it has to. The D is a big question mark.... The Offence needs time to jell methinks. I have a feeling we may be looking at an 8-8 type year with end of year reports of improvement and being close to the big one...see Wannsted "all of the pieces are in place." I hope I am wrong.

I would also like to have suggestions on streaming...