"We almost made it!"
That was the sound coming from my 11 year old son last night as we said goodnight to each other. He, like many other Chicago Bears fans, were saddened by the loss to the Packers in the NFC Championship Game. However at the same time, happy to have gotten this far. And that is the message I tried to give to my son. We may not have won the whole thing, or had the chance to, but at least we made it as far as we did. And for a Bears team that was expected to only reach a possible 7-9 record and possibly lose their coach due to a firing mid-season, this is a win.
Many fans this Monday morning will be upset about the Cutler debacle. How he was pulled from the game because of a knee injury that had even other players around the league shocked. Upset about his mannerisms on the sidelines as he walked back and forth on his supposedly injured knee. Or how he seemed so dis-interested in the happenings on the field for the last quarter of play. But aside from all that, I must stress, we made it to the NFC Championship game!
Nobody expected Chicago to get that far. Even 2 weeks ago when the Bears were in the midst of losing to the very same Packers team during the last game of the season. The Packers needed to win that game to make the playoffs. The Bears, not so much. They already clinched their spot and could care less about the outcome of that game. But even then, people around the league doubted the strength of the Bears. Even then people around the league scoffed at the team that had made it that far on what was being called "a lucky season". Even then, I was happy to have made it that far.
The Bears continued to surprise. Even at the end of this losing effort on the cold lakefront of Chicago. When all hope seemed lost and Todd Collins came in for an injured Cutler and just stank up the place. When all seemed ready to implode, an energetic Caleb Hanie, the 3rd string QB, came into the game and breathed some life into the team that was mentally at home soaking in the hot tub. number 12 brought a spark to the game and almost gave us Bears fans hope. He almost had us all thinking, we could possibly win this thing.
Of course it was not meant to be, but the dream was there. It was alive, if only for a moment. And this is why I must say, we should be happy we made it this far. A season in which we were lucky to not have suffered any major injuries. A season in which it seamed luck was always on our side. A season in which the whole NFL had counted out the team from Chicago. Even then, we have to be happy we made it this far. Even then, we have to be happy to be a Bears fan!
