Tuesday Morning Thoughts: Old School

Sometimes our memory only goes back 5 minutes. We forget sometimes how truly great Magic Johnson, Isiah Thomas, or Walter Payton were because we're so focused on Chris Paul, Lebron and the Real Adrien Peterson. For instance, I always make the point that the Packers aren't our true rivals and that the Vikings traditionally fit that mold. This is an obvious case of a 5 minute memory. But, thanks to NFL Network's broadcast of the Bears vs. Packers game in 1985, I can now understand what all those annoying 85 Bears players were talking about. If you just watch the first quarter of that game, you realize what true, hate, loathing rivalry really is. Here are my thoughts on that game and others.

1. On Walter Payton's first carry of the game he approached the white sideline and stepped out of bounds by 3 yards. That should have been the end of the play. But no, this was vintage Packers/Bears. A Packers' player hit Payton, who was already beyond the 5ft white sideline, proceeded to tackle him past the standing bench players and coaches, lifted him up for about another 3 feet, and then pushed him over a bench that had to be about 10 yards away from the sideline. Today, players get flagged for hitting a player who is a step out of bounds. In this instance, the Packers player hit Payton, dragged him, and pushed him over a bench 10 yards away from the field of play. That my dear friends (I sound like McCain), is a real rivalry. (Note, the packer's player got ejected from the game). SEE POINT 5 BELOW for video.

2. During the first half Payton ran left for about 3 yards and was tackled. Matt Suey, a FB for the Bears stood 3 yards away. After the tackle (about 3 seconds after Payton was tackled. I know this because I counted it 5 times), a Packers' player came from nowhere and just decked Suey to the ground. Full steam, arm up, Suey looking elsewhere, and just decked him. Think safety running full steam and hitting an unprotected WR. Except, that Suey was just standing there and the play had been called dead. (Note, interestingly the player didn't get ejected this time, but did get a personal foul penalty). AGAIN SEE POINT 5 BELOW.

3. So that was the nasty stuff. Sometimes we also forget how truly great our former heroes are. For instance, Walter Payton looked completely incredible during that game. He always seemed slow on the NFL game films, but he looked lightning fast that game. Payton also danced and moved like he was running on air. It seemed like he would be in the air for 2-3 steps, and then touch down one foot on the ground and lift off for another 2-3 yards. Plus, he was nasty. He got hit so hard during that game that if Cedric Benson was just watching, he would have gotten hurt. Just amazing.

4. Again sometimes with 5 minute memory, you forget why a defense like the 85 Bears was so great. They almost seem mythical. We know that they existed and were good, but they couldn't possibly have been THAT great. Well, that game reinforced that the myth was true. In what was a 360 degree change from our current defensive Cover 2 scheme, the Bears D had 8 men on the line of scrimmage. No Tillman and Vasher playing 10 yards off their WRs. No, Singletary guarding a WR 40 yards down field. No, everyone was playing defense in the Packer's offensive backfield. Brilliant!

5. Alright. Watch the beginning of this clip with highlights from that game.


Random Thoughts

6. I'm pretty pumped to see Derick Rose tonight vs. the Lakers. I haven't said that about a Bulls player in a really, really long time. Rose is quickly becoming my favorite Chicago player. Rose and Forte! Not a bad Chicago rookie class.

7. Peter King sucks, yet I still read him. I wonder how many MMQs he has done, which haven't referenced the Patriots. I believe in the East Cost bias simply because I think its normal and human for people who live on the east coast to favor (or at least provide more coverage) for the local team. It looks like a lot of SI writers and everyone at ESPN either work or live on the east coast. They probably all listen to local sports talk radio and read local papers. Plus they are all on east coast time. It just makes reasonable sense that they would also cover east coast teams more than other teams. But, Peter King is still a douche bag. But again, I still read his shit every Monday. Which, I guess makes me an idiot.

8. Why do the Sun-Times and Tribune seem to write identical stories every day. I guess when the Bears play a stinker like they did against the Packers, both papers are going to write about the stinker. But, they also seem to take the same angle. Lastly, they also always tend to use the same player quotes. I think I read the same quote attributed to Mike Brown in 10 different articles yesterday.

9. Why is Cold Pizza/1st Take still on the air?

10. If you could pick a QB from this group to lead the Bears, who do you pick? Orton, Aaron Rodgers, David Gerard, or Matt Ryan? I think its safe to say that I would take Rodgers and Ryan over Orton, with me picking Rodgers over all of them simply because he's young but also a veteran. Although, I-Truth made a good point during the game that Rodgers looks like a such a vagina. True. But so does Orton. Orton narrowly beats out Gerard in my book though.

Peace.