These Bears are an unlikely bunch

First appeared on January 26th, 2011
in The Lebanon Reporter

When Caleb Hanie woke up Sunday morning he probably turned on SportsCenter and, since he doesn’t seem the tea and toast type, dropped a Pop Tart in the toaster and opened a Gatorade. The talking heads were touting a match-up between Chicago’s Jay Cutler and Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers in the NFC Championship game later that afternoon as he logged on his computer.


While My Facing or Skyping with friends, whatever the kids are doing now, he ducked jabs like “don’t drop the clipboard!” or “Don’t trip anybody on the sidelines!” Before he could respond however smoke from the kitchen pulled him away for, since he’s only the Bears third string quarterback, he’s likely still using the same toaster he’s had since college.

Little could Hanie have known he would exchange his clipboard for the game ball Sunday. As he sat choking down that burnt Pop Tart, there’s no way he could have realized the fate of the Bears season, and the Super Bowl aspirations of millions, would ride on his arm that day.

When Cutler pulled up lame in the third quarter of Sunday’s NFC Championship game, the Bears went to back-up Todd Collins only to quickly be reminded why there was no quarterback controversy in Training Camp. After one series, Head Coach Lovie Smith turned to Hanie, a 25 year old from Colorado State with less than 10 career completions.

It would be fascinating to say he had an Earl Morral-like moment, but I can’t make any more stuff up or this column will fail to meet the lofty standard of credibility my readers demand. Hanie had some moments, tossed a couple picks and the Bears lost to the Packers for the second time in less than a month.

These Bears are an unlikely bunch. A crew of castaways on an unexpected adventure. Starting with Cutler who, after 5 years, remains mostly a mystery. Proof Denver was over him is found in the fact they traded him for some ’85 Bears SuperBowl memorabilia, a set of new tires and a case of Portillo’s Hot Dogs.

Adding Offensive Coordinator Mike Martz, the Don Nelson of the NFL, in the off season was risky at best. A man of conviction, bent on remaining tirelessly nontraditional, Martz wound up being a move that paid off. Credit Lovie for giving Martz just enough rope to help the Bears win but not enough to organize a mutiny.

At Chicago’s helm for 7 years, Smith has navigated both stormy seas and fruitful waters. As with any good captain, Lovie has been pushed to the brink plenty. However, one must wonder just how close he’s come to literally walking in Captain Bligh’s shoes? Shoved into the Cockboat by a surly Brian Urlacher or a furtive Olin Kruetz. With all Lovie’s been through, the fact he’s still employed is simply proof he has more lives than Brett Favre.

The best teams can beat you in a variety of ways. The Colts have a great passing game and… (insert crickets chirping here). The Bears have a solid running game, explosive quarterback, talented defense and the best kick returner in the game. Logic figures they’d have the upper hand Sunday.

But in the end there was Aaron Rodgers. The man so many had crowned a preseason Hall of Famer, only to turn their spotlight to Phillip Rivers and Tom Brady when the Pack struggled. Legends are made in games like that we saw Sunday. And while, for Caleb Hanie at least, one burnt Pop Tart a legend does not make; it was obviously a different story for Rodgers.