Man, did I ever dash off a thoughtless little bit about Brian Urlacher yesterday.
I mean, I know the Bears weren't gonna offer him alot of money or time to stay around, but I was hoping whatever that offer was, he'd accept (I assume he's got a comfy retirement fund), keep the money private and just play.
I didn't think it would end with an offer he'd consider insulting, especially if it could actually hurt the team.
Yada yada all that's under the bridge.
The point of today's post is to show you the illustrations (and photos) I've done on Urlacher over the years, and to talk about how freaking awesome he was from the moment you heard about him - a giant SAFETY from New Mexico who runs crazy fast is gonna be the middle linebacker.
In 2007, the Bears had a nice win over the Pack, Urlacher picked off Favre and ran it back 85 yards for the td.
This one's from 2009 when, as has happened way too much in my own personal history of the Bears, there's only one guy on the team that everyone depended on for Beardom. Because the team overall was a 7-9 no playoff pile of crap.
This photo is from a Bears/Seahawks game I went to in Jan, 2011. Go here for more photos - it was an awesome Bears win.
This is from Sept 2011, when he destroyed Atlanta with a pick and a fumble recovery for a td and 10 tackles.
This was when I was trying to psych up before the Bears/Packers 2011 playoff game. Turned out that this illustration was way more fun than the actual loss, with Jay Cutler getting injured and having his courage questioned.
This one's from last April, when Urlacher had the knee and Brett Jackson was showing us that, well, he was going to strike out alot.
And this last one is a photo of my brother Grog and my Dad (lookin' all hard guy) tailgating on a Monday afternoon in October of 2006, in the parking lot outside the University of Phoenix Stadium.
Where the Arizona Cardinals play.
Grog made some incredible mustard soaked brats, we had a couple beers, we walked in and watched the Bears go down 20.
The Bears were supposed to CREAM the Cardinals, but sitting in the stands it was just kind of...embarassing.
I think Grossman threw ohh, 10 picks. (actually 4 picks and 2 fumbles)
But the Chicago Bears defense would score like this: Mike Brown returns a fumble for 3 yards and a td.
Brian Urlacher strips (I think) Edgerrin James and Peanut Tillman returns that for 40 yards and 6.
And Dennis Green punts to Devin Hester in the 4th, and Hester takes it 83 yards. With the Gould extra point, the Bears are up by one, 24 - 23.
The Cards have another chance at victory but their kicker misses a field goal, and we walk out of there barely able to control our laughter.
This was the football equivalent of the Sandberg Game, the most amazing football game I'll ever attend.
Urlacher had 11 solo tackles and 9 assists plus the stripped ball.
After that game we had to wait in line for school busses to drive us back to the parking lot, and I'm telling you, you have never seen a more angry, exasperated group than those Cardinal fans.
Dead silence on the bus ride.
"They are who we thought they were!" said Green.
And I said, yeah, they are.
Maybe the Bears are going to actually turn into some kind of offensively-minded football team, I don't know.
It would be fantastic if other teams actually feared the Bears because of their offense.
But I'll always be one of those guys who'd rather watch a Monster of the Midway middle linebacker than a slick quarterback.
Sue me.
And to Brian Urlacher: thanks for everything and I wish you nothing but the best.
