Post by matsellah on Dec 14, 2020 20:01:18 GMT -6
This is just my opinion. Tear it up.
What The Problem Is?
by matsellah
You know how we tend to say "We?"
There is no "We."
"'We' need to play better!"
"'We' need to draft better."
"'We' need to make better decisions."
We keep saying "We."
But there is no "We."
There's only fans and the franchise.
"We" aren't losing.
The Chicago Bears are.
"We" aren't accepting mediocrity.
The Chicago Bears are.
We keep saying "We" because we're tied in; we're culturally linked. We love football and even more; we love this storied club. We want them to be champions so that we can live and achieve vicariously and celebrate... and brag. It's what being a fan means and we yearn for it. We're desperate for it. We want to walk proud. And be cocky.
When you're loyal and supportive, you're deserving.
But this franchise doesn't really care.
JABF said elsewhere:
"I keep coming back to the fact that some professional sports franchises DO figure out how to win a respectable amount (you can find some in any sport). If they can do it, why can't we?"
There is no "We" but many sports franchises do figure it out. "They" care. They have the desire to excel, to win, to be champions.
The Chicago Bears... do not.
All the McCaskeys care about is if you're still shouting out their BRAND. If you're still BUYING the TICKETS and the MERCH, that you're WATCHING the CHANNEL, LISTENING to the STATION, CLICKING the LINKS, and hitting those KEYWORDS on INTERNET forums and SOCIAL MEDIA, generating INFLUENCE and causing ADVERTISERS to dump MONEY into the coffers, and getting their piece of REVENUE SHARING.
All NFL franchises have that. The difference is not all front offices have the drive to be winners.
Detroit, anyone? Is it surprising that, the older the franchise, the more apathetic the ownership?
There are some enigmas; old teams that still win. Because someone in that Team's HQ wants to WIN!
Doesn't mean they do or will. But they have the desire. The drive.
It's what is missing in Chicago.
The last real effort happened in 1982, when GSH hired Mike Ditka (but lost Jim Finks because of it - and that was HUGE!).
Halas couldn't do any more; Finks moved on to New Orleans and GSH died in 1983. Not surprising Finks once played for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Culture of Winning.
That's when "They" stopped caring. I really believe that. There's been plenty of decisions and lots of lip service, but I just haven't seen the drive.
The Bears of the 80's decade, including the championship, was a product of Halas and Finks.
So what's the solution? It's a hard one, and my logic has always been convoluted, but I really believe the only way to change things is to NOT expect them to change.
Sounds ridiculous, I know.
To save this organization from itself, the fans need to be MORE indifferent than the franchise.
I understand that, for a lot of you, that's just not something you can allow yourself to do.
But I believe the fans have to degrade the value of the BRAND. Subjecting them -solely- to the ridicule.
Do not accept anything as a fan. Accept nothing personally.
And, most of all, DO NOT DEFEND THEM. Make a mental distinction between The Bears and The McCaskeys.
Next time a Packer fan gives you crap for being a Bear fan, just remind yourself these are NOT YOUR BEARS, whether your an old timer or brand new. It's a State of Mind, if this team isn't worth it, then they're not worth it. Walk away. Figuratively. Literally. You're setting your own terms; you can come back whenever they become worthy of your fanship.
To those who would cry about loyalty and that's now how you support your team?
Show me the loyalty. Show me where this team has made me feel they're in it as much as I am?
Loyalty is a two-way street and, like you, I gave my loyalty to the Chicago Bears.
But there is a "They."
And "They" don't care whether "They" win or not...
"They" don't care about fumbled decisions and demonstrating a complete lack complete football competence.
"They" gladly accept mediocrity...
Because the BRAND remains viable...
And "They" know...
They don't even question if "We" will always accept our complicity...
Because "We" are fans.
And you know the truth.
"They" aren't the problem.
What The Problem Is?
by matsellah
You know how we tend to say "We?"
There is no "We."
"'We' need to play better!"
"'We' need to draft better."
"'We' need to make better decisions."
We keep saying "We."
But there is no "We."
There's only fans and the franchise.
"We" aren't losing.
The Chicago Bears are.
"We" aren't accepting mediocrity.
The Chicago Bears are.
We keep saying "We" because we're tied in; we're culturally linked. We love football and even more; we love this storied club. We want them to be champions so that we can live and achieve vicariously and celebrate... and brag. It's what being a fan means and we yearn for it. We're desperate for it. We want to walk proud. And be cocky.
When you're loyal and supportive, you're deserving.
But this franchise doesn't really care.
JABF said elsewhere:
"I keep coming back to the fact that some professional sports franchises DO figure out how to win a respectable amount (you can find some in any sport). If they can do it, why can't we?"
There is no "We" but many sports franchises do figure it out. "They" care. They have the desire to excel, to win, to be champions.
The Chicago Bears... do not.
All the McCaskeys care about is if you're still shouting out their BRAND. If you're still BUYING the TICKETS and the MERCH, that you're WATCHING the CHANNEL, LISTENING to the STATION, CLICKING the LINKS, and hitting those KEYWORDS on INTERNET forums and SOCIAL MEDIA, generating INFLUENCE and causing ADVERTISERS to dump MONEY into the coffers, and getting their piece of REVENUE SHARING.
All NFL franchises have that. The difference is not all front offices have the drive to be winners.
Detroit, anyone? Is it surprising that, the older the franchise, the more apathetic the ownership?
There are some enigmas; old teams that still win. Because someone in that Team's HQ wants to WIN!
Doesn't mean they do or will. But they have the desire. The drive.
It's what is missing in Chicago.
The last real effort happened in 1982, when GSH hired Mike Ditka (but lost Jim Finks because of it - and that was HUGE!).
Halas couldn't do any more; Finks moved on to New Orleans and GSH died in 1983. Not surprising Finks once played for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Culture of Winning.
That's when "They" stopped caring. I really believe that. There's been plenty of decisions and lots of lip service, but I just haven't seen the drive.
The Bears of the 80's decade, including the championship, was a product of Halas and Finks.
So what's the solution? It's a hard one, and my logic has always been convoluted, but I really believe the only way to change things is to NOT expect them to change.
Sounds ridiculous, I know.
To save this organization from itself, the fans need to be MORE indifferent than the franchise.
I understand that, for a lot of you, that's just not something you can allow yourself to do.
But I believe the fans have to degrade the value of the BRAND. Subjecting them -solely- to the ridicule.
Do not accept anything as a fan. Accept nothing personally.
And, most of all, DO NOT DEFEND THEM. Make a mental distinction between The Bears and The McCaskeys.
Next time a Packer fan gives you crap for being a Bear fan, just remind yourself these are NOT YOUR BEARS, whether your an old timer or brand new. It's a State of Mind, if this team isn't worth it, then they're not worth it. Walk away. Figuratively. Literally. You're setting your own terms; you can come back whenever they become worthy of your fanship.
To those who would cry about loyalty and that's now how you support your team?
Show me the loyalty. Show me where this team has made me feel they're in it as much as I am?
Loyalty is a two-way street and, like you, I gave my loyalty to the Chicago Bears.
What have I gotten... what have YOU gotten in return?
To the McCaskeys... there is no "We."
But there is a "They."
And "They" don't care whether "They" win or not...
"They" don't care about fumbled decisions and demonstrating a complete lack complete football competence.
"They" gladly accept mediocrity...
Because the BRAND remains viable...
And "They" know...
They don't even question if "We" will always accept our complicity...
Because "We" are fans.
And you know the truth.
"They" aren't the problem.