This Chicago Bears season has been rough. There were expectations when the trade was made for Jay Cutler, and only you know what your expectations were.

Now if you were one of those who believed that the Bears were headed to Miami based on the acquisition of Jay Cutler, I have no sympathy for your heartache, you are simply put, a moron. If you are one of those who believed that the deal would have playoff implications with a chance for a brighter future, I share in your sorrow.

After just 10 games this season, for all intensive purposes, it is over. Sure they will try to sell you on the fact that they are not mathematically eliminated, and while true, it is really the players they are trying to sell this to. I don't even think they're buying. Sure, they will try and tell you that all they have to do is "buckle down" and play football like "they are capable of" and things can turn around. But haven't we seen the type of football they are capable of?

As annoying as this season has been for fans, having to sit through games like the one on Sunday night where even when they had the lead you were still shaking your head in bewilderment, just waiting for the inevitable knock out punch from the opponent, there has been nothing more annoying to me than the recurring headline following just about every game. You know the one that goes, "___ ___ ___ who we thought they were."

Seriously? Is that the best that can be done? Denny Green's tirade following Arizona's loss to the Bears three seasons ago was quite memorable. But do we have to keep using it to describe every inefficiency that comes with the current Chicago Bears, or every other team that comes up short of expectations?

Do a google search of the following, "who we thought they were." You get a little Denny Green. Then suddenly you start to notice that the phrase is being attached to things like UFC 106, the Wisconsin Badgers, the Detroit Lions, the 49ers, the Carolina Panthers, and the list goes on. Lest we forget to mention the always clever, "they aren't who we thought they were." That's a crazy spin on it.

Today I go to ESPNChicago.com to find an article from Melissa Isaacson titled, "The Unvarnished Truth about Cutler." Great headline. Unfortunately the tag used to take you to the article from the main page was, "Is Jay Cutler who we thought he was?"

To answer that question, "I don't know." Who the hell is this "we" you speak of?

Are the Bears "who we thought they were?" Probably, unless you had realistic expectations, in which case this question doesn't even make sense, because then no, they aren't "who you thought they were." Ugh. I'm annoying myself.

I am taking a stand against all this thinking about who people are or aren't. Maybe if you spent some time getting to know them, you wouldn't be so surprised when their true self appears. And yes that goes for your sports teams too.

Here is what I ask: No more headlines asking me the questions we both already know the answers to. I can take it no longer. "Are the ___'s who we thought they were." A stupid question that is always preceded by dumber expectations.

Are the 2009 Chicago Bears or your team "who you thought they were?" If so, what's the problem?

Comments (2)

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The other comment I hear all the time and loathe is the "we just need to execute better".

OK, for 1 or 2 random bad weeks that may be an acceptable explanation for woes. However, when you say it week in and week out, like the Bears do, there is 1 of 3 things going on:

A) A systemic problem that has nothing to do with execution - i.e. maybe the system you're running isn't executable or executable with the guys you have.

B) Repeated failure to execute by players means they're just not good football players.

C) Both.

Any way you slice it, you have big problems and "just executing better" is not an acceptable solution or explanation.

wik13 , November 25, 2009

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The "execute" thing is Lovie's way of saying that the system is not to blame, the players are. It's an attempt to justify his job.

The problem is, as you pointed out, the players he has can not run this system effectively, because they suck at football.

Rex Jaybels , November 25, 2009 | url

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