COLTS 29 BEARS 17 (insert sad face here)

A little more than 24 hours later, I've emerged to speak on what everyone has an opinion on and that of course is the Colts win in Super Bowl XLI; a 29-17 victory. The game started off with a bang when Devin Hester took the opening kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown. Unfortunately, Hester didn't get much of a chance to return after that as the Colts avoided him throughout the game. The first half was a back and forth struggle, unfortunately the Bears blew an early 8 point lead after Rex Grossman (yes, good Rex was there at one point) connected with Muhsin Muhammed on short touchdown pass.
After that it was all downhill. It was as if the team decided that it wasn't going to show up after the first quarter. To the Colts credit, they outplayed the Bears in every facet of the game and that's why they're the champs and that's why I'm a little bitter this evening. Bad Rex showed up in the second half with his 2 INTs to go along with a fumble. Thomas Jones showed up with a 100-yd rushing game (told ya the Colts could be run on.) But the defense didn't show up like they did against the Saints, and that's the most disappointing thing about last night's game. Neither did the offense, with some of the blame going to the questionable play calling of offensive coordinator Ron Turner. Sure, Tommie Harris and Mike Brown not being healthy had a little to do with it, but the Bears sure didn't miss them in the NFC Championship game, did they?
In the end I'm heart broken, again. No curses. No billy goat. No black cats. No Bartman. Just one heartbreaking game. I should be used to this, but I'm not. In fact no one should get used to losing. If Dusty Baker taught me anything in his tenure as Cubs manager it's that having a losing mentality is unacceptable, no mater what "the culture" suggests, no matter what the past says. *Channeling Bobby Knight's "I'm sick and tired of losing to Purdue...I'm not here to f*ck around this week" speech* I'm sick of not feeling the joy of victory. I'm sick of the agony of defeat. Losing sucks, there's no way around it. I'm tired of not being good enough!
*Whew* now that my rant is over it's time to do this. The Bears still had a great year. They won the NFC North and the NFC Title, nothing to be ashamed about here guys. Be proud of a team that still has potential. Hopefully we keep the right guys on the field (Jones & Lance Briggs), in the coaching booth (Lovie Smith, Ron Rivera, Dave Toub) and pick up some key parts whatever they be to reach this level again. The NFC is winnable people, think of it as the NL Central--everyone (except the Pirates AKA the Detroit Lions) has a shot to win it!

It'd be easy to ask you "Who is to blame?" or "What should have been done differently?" so I'll do this instead. Tell me your favorite part of this season. As much as I hate losing, why not leave this season with a happy thought?

Now that the football season is now over...PITCHERS AND CATCHERS REPORT ON FEBRUARY 14TH. It's only 55 days 'til Opening Day and that means only 55 Days 'Til Cubdom Strikes Back!