One Last Sorrowful Hoorah

By: Dustin Beutin

During Bowl Season, most teams head south. Somewhere that has at least marginally warm weather, cold drinks and a certain attitude towards a celebration. Cities like Pasadena, Miami and Orlando fit the bill nicely. So does that jazzy city of New Orleans, where teams and fans alike descend for a week (or more) of fun and debauchery every year.Apparently, however, when you live in one of these destination cities - as do the New Orleans Saints - the weather isn’t enough to keep you drinking brightly colored drinks well into January. For the second year in a row, the Saints chose to spend their bowl season in Chicago for a frigid, heart-breaking game. This year, just as last, the Saints will return to New Orleans after their rendezvous in the Windy City, and for the second year in a row, New Orleans will return to Louisiana and stay there - both years, watching the Super Bowl at home.

The Bears played some classic spoiler football, and seemed to relish every second of the role. It was a fun afternoon of big hits that rattled the teeth of toddlers in Elgin, and Devin Hester touchdowns that added a sweet taste to a bitter season. Brian Urlacher must have taken the message from not being voted to the Pro Bowl, turning in his second straight week with an interception - a beautiful pick that happened so fast it almost didn’t seem real. And Kyle Orton, standing across from his predecessor at Purdue - Drew Brees - looked like the vet who was supposed to dominate the game. The chocolate kiss on the day, though, was the safety that the Saints handed the Bears when they were called for holding in the end zone - yet another repeat from the NFC championship game.

In a game that was mostly tryouts for 2008, it was a pleasure to watch Orton continue his improvement. His decision-making looked mature and fluid. His movement in the pocket was precise and he kept plays alive for long periods of time, moving with his blockers like a true pro. His accuracy was sadly less encouraging, with many of his passes falling short and others too off-target to be catchable.

What does it mean for the young QB from Purdue? Perhaps the answer lies in the aforementioned Drew Brees, who worked hard for several years in San Diego before finding his stride, also suffering from criticisms of poor accuracy. It’s the type of problem that can be solved with practice, playing time and coaching. If Kyle receives those opportunities, he just might grow into the quarterback the Bears need - or at least a home-built backup. It also means that the Bears have more flexibility in their never-ending hunt for a pro-bowl quarterback, knowing that Kyle can lead the offense downfield without devolving into a Henry Burris-esque mess.

It’s hard to avoid comparing what happened today with the same matchup from exactly a year before. A season ago, these teams met for the ultimate trip to Miami. This year, the Bears are playing for a trip to the NFL draft combine in Indianapolis. At least the Saints were able to play with the hope that both the Vikings and Redskins would roll over and open the door to the playoffs: a dream that died when the Saints chose - CHOSE, I say - to kick the ball to Devin Hester. Hilarity ensued.

Now, instead of packing their bags for a playoff run, the Bears are packing up their lockers for a run to 7-11 to grab the requisite snacks for watching the playoffs at home. How did this happen? How did the Bears show so many glimpses of their former selves, yet materialize into the biggest disappointment this side of the 2004 Cubs?

Unfortunately, all the Bears are left with are a string of questions that point towards the coaching staff like a criminal negligence indictment. For instance… Why was Alex Brown - he of the playmaking, pro bowl-quality defensive line play - on the sideline for most of the season? How is it that “inventive” plays such as letting Devin Hester outrun the defense for the deep ball were used sparingly all season? And how did the offensive line look so awful all season until Kyle Orton and Adrian Peterson were under center?

Tellingly, after the game Alex Brown struggled to answer questions from reporters who wanted to know if he was going to be in Chicago next year, and whether he deserved to be a starter - to which he replied only that he deserves “to be a starter in this league.” Equally reflective was defensive coordinator Bob Babich’s somber demeanor despite his unit’s best performance of the year. The two moments interlink in what could be a vision of things to come in the next few days and months: Brown and Babich possibly parting ways from the Bears for good.

Thus, the final chapter of this season tells the tale of an organization that now faces the litmus test of its existence. If Angelo and Lovie are dynasty-capable, they will find a way to look deep and cut out the pieces of this mess that have dragged the Bears down from contenders to pretenders. They must find a way to educate and coach-up a group of talented, yet unpolished offensive players in Kyle Orton, Devin Hester and Greg Olsen. And perhaps most important of all, they need to find a safety that can hold together the secondary, whether Mike Brown can play in 2008 or not.

There is a genuine reason for hope, however, written in the roster of young playmakers and long-term veterans who are signed for years to come. Charles Tillman, Nathan Vasher, Hunter Hillenmeyer, Brian Urlacher, Alex Brown, Adewale Ogunleye and Tommie Harris will all be here again next year (provided they aren’t let go or traded). Olin Kreutz and John Tait will work to rebuild the offensive line, and with them Greg Olsen and Desmond Clark will be key pieces in picking up a running game that is currently in shambles. And if all goes to plan, Hester will keep growing into an offensive weapon of epic proportions.

In a relatively meaningless game this Sunday, the Bears showed the attitude and hits that befit a fan base who still showed up 52,000 strong despite the lack of meaning; for a group of fans that were willing to start showing up two hours early for a game that had no relevance other than a rivalry of dubious heritage. It’s not greedy to wish for more next year, Chicago.

And for a second straight year, the Bears won the “Chicago Bowl,” sending sad New Orleans back to their vacation-land of happiness. We just wish it were a little more like last year.

Though other sportswriters in Chicago might still be unpacking their carpetbags, Dustin Beutin is a born and bred Chi-town sportswriter. Heading into the heart of the Big Ten (Purdue) broadened his sports views, and it was during the Jauron era that he lost the innocence of blind love for Chicago sports and began looking for an outlet to vent his frustration. A trip out west to USC for a Master’s in writing was only tolerable with high doses of ESPN and Dodgers games, though it gave him a respect for the national perspective. Now in the early stages of a sports-writing career, Dustin hopes to give back to the city of Chicago everything it gave him: opinions and heartburn.

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