Can Enthusiam Replace Apathy?

[soulman]

Upon returning to the forum this spring from my sabbatical I made the comment that after hearing the same old shtick outta GMcC, Teddy Bears, and Ryan Pace year after year I've become very apathetic as far as the Bears fortunes are concerned.  It was getting like watching reruns of a show with only one episode.

Close to the cap limit the offseason and free agency brought little new in the way of excitement but rather a major disappointment in the loss of Kyle Fuller.  The Russell Wilson rumors were in all honesty just that.  Teams do not willingly part with potential HOF QBs.  With limited cap Pace could only add a QB and some supplemental talent yet he did fill some of his biggest needs on both offense and defense and locked up Cairo Santos.

Then came the draft and new hope in the form of Justin Fields and Tevin Jenkins.  I'm cautiously optimistic we've filled two glaring needs with top flight talent but wonder if I'm expecting more than I should only to be disappointed once again.  After all this is the Bears we're talking about so it's not impossible that our dreams of a resurgence will get dashed on the rocks of defeats once again. Too little to get emotionally charged up for yet.

So, while I can't honestly say I'm overly enthused just yet at least I'm marginally less apathetic.  I may even start watching games again.  😁

[G08]

I hear ya, I still get pangs of excitement when I think of Justin Fields being drafted by this franchise, but then decades upon decades of futility at the position hit me with a dose of reality.

Does Justin Fields have anything to do with that? No, he doesn't, but the point still remains.

I do think this is the best QB incubator we have had as a franchise in recent memory. Nagy was around to see how Mahomes was brought along into this offense, John DeFilippo has coaxed some quality play out of QBs during his time as a QB coach, etc. I also think Justin Fields is the only QB we have drafted that was essentially a national phenom since he was in high school (someone correct me if I'm wrong).

So, in a way, this does feel different. Maybe we're due, like the 2016 Chicago Cubs and the 2005 White Sox before that (stupidity begets that they had an 87 year drought).

[BEAR FACE DOWN ARROW]

Yes. 

[Sugashane]

I'm optimistic at least due to Pace nabbing Fields and Jenkins. But Nagy still gives me a ton of pause, as well as a few holes that are natural to be concerned about. 

 

I'm not as enthralled with the Bears as I was but I'm still a supporter and will watch the games of course. 

[soulman]

6 hours ago, Sugashane said:

I'm optimistic at least due to Pace nabbing Fields and Jenkins. But Nagy still gives me a ton of pause, as well as a few holes that are natural to be concerned about. 

 

I'm not as enthralled with the Bears as I was but I'm still a supporter and will watch the games of course. 

Nagy has become an enigma to me.  While I'd like to believe he's the offensive genius he was sold as and knows what he's doing he still keeps doing things that cause me significant doubt.  One of the biggest of these is his continuing insistence on playing the part of "play caller" on game day rather than his actual job of HC.  He's yet to prove to me he's any good at the former and only marginal so far at the latter.

For me to watch each game gun to gun would require a subscription to NFL Game Ticket or a jaunt to a noisy sports bar full of transplant Bears fans and of late I've preferred to suffer in silence at home catching only the highlights or the computer streaming a play by play without any video or audio.  That may change this year if I move back to Wisconsin but it's a decision for then not now.

[BEAR FACE DOWN ARROW]

Agreed on Nagy, it's kinda funny that we still don't know what his offense looks like after so many years. Hopefully this year is more make than break for him as it'll be far better for Fields to stay with one offense and coach.

As to the Bears, I am a world class sucker for this team and will watch every year secretly assuming they're going to be great.  Plus I have a new smoker and I'm making a big covered dining area outside with a projector and sound so I'm pretty much locked in on the Bears as I have no idea what else you have people over to watch.

[dll2000]

Nagy is or was like a hundred mediocre coaches I have seen.  Not bad, sometimes good, but not great.   

I see same habits and philosophies.  They think they imitating some great coach they learned from across board, but are missing key elements.

But I have seen real growth from Pace in this past offseason.  He has adjusted some philosophies for better.  

Maybe Nagy can grow too.  

I want to see an emphasis on execution rather than keep trying different plays as if that is the answer.

I want to see guys be able to win jobs in practice when they weren’t supposed to.  

I want to see starters held accountable for poor play by being benched. 

I want to see physicality and good fundamentals.  

Those are marks of a good coach.  

[soulman]

3 hours ago, RunningVaccs said:

Agreed on Nagy, it's kinda funny that we still don't know what his offense looks like after so many years. Hopefully this year is more make than break for him as it'll be far better for Fields to stay with one offense and coach.

As to the Bears, I am a world class sucker for this team and will watch every year secretly assuming they're going to be great.  Plus I have a new smoker and I'm making a big covered dining area outside with a projector and sound so I'm pretty much locked in on the Bears as I have no idea what else you have people over to watch.

What time is dinner Vaccs?  You cook the ribs and I'll bring beer and wet wipes.  😁

[soulman]

1 hour ago, dll2000 said:

I want to see an emphasis on execution rather than keep trying different plays as if that is the answer.

I want to see guys be able to win jobs in practice when they weren’t supposed to.  

I want to see starters held accountable for poor play by being benched. 

I want to see physicality and good fundamentals.

Amen and to this I can add fewer excuses for why all of it didn't happen.

Agree on Pace.  He's getting slicker in his drafting moves and also learning to shop the discount aisle for just the right help in the way of spot players who can fill specific roles and add depth much like the Pats have done so successfully.  Jones and Byrd are two who seem to fit that description.

[WindyCity]

This is arguably the most important 5 year window since the Super Bowl.

We have a legit QB prospect, an offensive head coach, and could actually be relevant for the first time in forever.

Enthusiasm mixed with Anxiety

[soulman]

3 hours ago, WindyCity said:

This is arguably the most important 5 year window since the Super Bowl.

We have a legit QB prospect, an offensive head coach, and could actually be relevant for the first time in forever.

Enthusiasm mixed with Anxiety

I believe any anxiety I've ever had regarding this team was chased away by lowered expectations long ago.....LOL.

Provided Fields turns out to be the "all that and a bag of chips" franchise QB I'm hoping for at a 10 year long window of relevance minimum.

I don't necessarily expect multiple SB appearances but I don't exactly not expect them either.  It is a QB driven league and two of it's GOATS are nearing the end of their careers giving way to younger QBs and an even younger echelon that includes Mahomes, Watson, and if we're finally lucky enough Fields as well, approaches "their time" in the spotlight.

[Bfan]

Its amazing what winning can do to counter apathy!  Especially if it is the unexpected kind, like the three TDs in two minutes kind or winning against teams you seem to have business beating kid.

[dll2000]

21 hours ago, WindyCity said:

This is arguably the most important 5 year window since the Super Bowl.

We have a legit QB prospect, an offensive head coach, and could actually be relevant for the first time in forever.

Enthusiasm mixed with Anxiety

3 years usually.  Then you have to make a decision on QB or you should.  

3 years to overspend around him and take some shots on FAs you wouldn't otherwise.   We are going to spend one of those years with Dalton as QB or that is plan anyway.  

 

 

[soulman]

1 hour ago, dll2000 said:

3 years usually.  Then you have to make a decision on QB or you should.  

3 years to overspend around him and take some shots on FAs you wouldn't otherwise.   We are going to spend one of those years with Dalton as QB or that is plan anyway.  

 

 

I'll be very surprised if Fields isn't starting before the year is out.  Dalton will have to pull off a career year to keep Fields on the bench.

Fields is costing us an average of $4.7 mil per year for 4 years before a major bump for his 5th year option which we can deal with by signing him long term knocking down his 5th year costs at the very least then, if he earns it, the pain of carrying a top ranked QB begins.  Unless of course Pace swung and missed again which can't be predicted at this point in time.

It would really help if we can somehow shed Foles before next year when his cap hits $10.67 mil.  Once the offense is calibrated around Fields he's not who we need for a #2 and assuming Dalton will be looking for another deal as a possible starter I don't expect his to return either which leaves us looking for a #2 who can at least assimilate to what Fields is capable of.

I can see another year of some major roster shuffling coming up in 2022.

[BEAR FACE DOWN ARROW]

On 7/14/2021 at 9:52 AM, soulman said:

What time is dinner Vaccs?  You cook the ribs and I'll bring beer and wet wipes.  😁

Depends on whether we get flexed to prime time of course!  

 

Off topic: what would you guys want in a outdoor dining/hanging area? Going to have some neat architectural features and a smoke/grill station off the corner, but want to add some cool stuff like fans, win chiller etc.