Four straight years. Yesterday’s loss to the Lions sealed the Bears’ fate: another last-place finish in the NFC North. Four years in a row that has been the case.
The last time the Bears didn’t finish in the epitome of futility in the division was 2013, the year of the Chris Conte game. The first year under Marc Trestman, one of the years led by Jay Cutler. Those two are familiar names to the common theme: Bears fans anxiously awaiting the offseason. In fact, in some instances, Cutler was a big part of why the current generation of Bears face have that nailed into their heads.
If it hadn’t already, that Lions game sealed the apathetic nature of fans until New Years Day. For the fourth year in a row, there is no incentive to truly care about the final two games. There’s no more youth we have anything left to see from and a large majority of the veterans are hurt.
If you haven’t mentally prepared yourself for the Bears to lose to the Browns, you should start preparing. Is there any reason to feel confident in the Bears ability to beat the Browns? No, there really isn’t.
It’s appalling to me that, once again, this fanbase has been forced into apathy like they have. This was supposed to be the year that the Bears took a step up and were at least semi-competitive for a playoff berth. However, as is the theme with this franchise of late, the Bears failed to live up to expectations. Once again, this fanbase will only regain interest when the discussion is offseason transactions, or rather the head coaching search.
This same unhealthy discussion has been too ingrained in the culture of this franchise. Does anyone remember who the Bears played in Week 17 last season? Step away from this article for a second and go look it up, no one will blame you.
That’s the part that’s sad to see. There is no excuse for a franchise in as big of a market as Chicago to have that thought even remotely in fans heads. There’s no reason that a franchise should be “one year away” for half a decade. This article shouldn’t be necessary, but it is.
The Bears fanbase must be like the equally crazed fantasy fanbase and be relieved that Winter is Coming. George McCaskey has deluded the Bears rallying cry from the Super Bowl Shuffle to a line from a dragon show on HBO.
Mark your calendars: January 1st. Not the literal first day of winter, but the first day of sanity for the Bears fan base. Until then, this fanbase has to cling on to the motto from Game Of Thrones.
In Game Of Thrones, it represents so much. But for the Bears, it represents the end of the apathetic nature of the organization. It marks the end of the John Fox era. It marks the end of the disappointing 2017 campaign. It beckons in the beginning of a new era of Bears football.
So, Bears fans, Winter is Coming. And in fifteen days, when it finally arrives, it will be the greatest iteration ever of the worst season ever.