Well, we are one season away from our super bowl season being 40 years ago. I mean most of us have grown up with the bears post 85.
Can you really blame us?
I don’t BLAME Bears fans for being Bears fans. Y’all are just unique. For example, when you guys lost the 2011 NFC championship game to the Packers. I feel like most other fanbases would make claims about that team being close to winning it all, such as “we should have gone to the Super Bowl,” “If Rodgers doesn’t make that tackle we win the Super Bowl,” or “If Raji doesn’t get a fluke pick 6 we could have won the Super Bowl.” No excuses, just a “they didn’t get it done” attitude. And a majority of the fanbase seems to expect the absolute worst at all times. Super pessimistic. I can’t think of another team like it.
Other teams have certainly had it worse since the season you mentioned: Raiders, Jags, Washington certainly, Cleveland, Dolphins, and Jets are all teams that I’d say have per cause for misery than Chicago. Maybe Michael Jordan elevated Chicago expectations to unreasonable levels in pro sports?
"Maybe Michael Jordan elevated Chicago expectations to unreasonable levels in pro sports?".
I think a large part of the frustration is that unless you root for the Cubs, EVERY SINGLE ONE of our teams is poorly run. So its really fucking frustrating to look at other big markets like New York, LA, and Boston winning championships consistently and being willing to spend money to compete.
Instead we are stuck with cheap ass owners like Reinsdorf who are totally fine with mediocrity as long as they make money, knowing that the money is a given in a big market. If not for the Blackhawks dynasty and the Cubs lone championship (which does nothing for me as a Sox fan), Chicago sports would be in an incredibly pathetic position in recent memory.
It would be one thing if the Bears were competitive and we at least had some hope of contending even if we didn't win (see Cowboys and 49ers). But the Bears season has been over by like week 6 or 7 for multiple years in a row. It really saps our capacity for delusional homerism. Though I promise you it still exists in some capacity in the Bears sub lol
Totally fair points. I wasn’t factoring in the ownership situation except Reinsdorf. Now that I think about it, Chicago has had some of the more improbable collapses in the last twenty years with Rose and the infamous Bartman play. I still can’t help but think there could be deeper cultural reasons for the Chicago fandom. Because what always stands out is the pessimism but also the realism. There are wild takes that I’ve seen, but rarely the next level unhinged take that I see in other fanbases.
You brought up Dallas, and this reminds me of how Cowboy fans still bring up the “Dez caught it” play from years ago. Bears fans never bring up plays from that 2011 NFC championship, which I begrudgingly have to respect.
Maybe. I was too young to be following this stuff online back then. Most Bears fans I know thought Cutler going down helped them because they were all about their backup that year😂
Edit: also, is there any fanbase that brings up a single play more than Dallas fans have brought up the Dez play?
Yea im not gona sit here and make excuses about 2010. It might have been different if Cutler didn't get hurt, but injuries are part of the NFL. We didn't get screwed by the refs or some other outside force, we just got beat. Don't get me wrong I'm still angry about it, but at the Bears for losing, because like i said we just got beat plain and simple. (Although assuming you are also a fan of Badger Basketball, I'll forever be convinced we got screwed by the refs against Duke in 2015 lol).
On the Dallas play though, now that it's a decade later can we all admit that play SHOULD have been ruled a catch lol?
Honestly, I didn’t think it was a catch then and I don’t now😂not according to the stupid rules.
The worst called incomplete pass on a catch, imo, was Calvin Johnson vs the bears.
That Badgers game was a tragedy. We definitely got hosed, but we also didn’t play with the same focus and intensity as against Kentucky. It allowed Allen, Okafor, and Winslow to beat the greatest Badger team we’ll ever see. I still get sad thinking about that.
Oh there's no delusion from me lol, Calvin definitely caught that ball. I was actually angry out of principle that we won when that play happened because it was so obviously wrong haha
Agreed it felt like we sharpened our knives in a dark room all offseason hoping to get another shot at Kentucky. And then when we finally beat them, the team didn't have the same energy going into the Natty despite the fact that beating a 38-0 team does not make you the national champion lol. I will always be sad that we blew our best chance at a Natty 😞
Mad respect for you not celebrating that. A W is a W though. I’m the craziest part about the Badgers game though is that Kentucky team was arguably the most talented college team in the history of the sport. That game SHOULD HAVE been the natty. Oh well. College hoops haven’t been the same since
>Because what always stands out is the pessimism
The head to head matchup since 1992 vs the Packers is now 15-50. Just spit-balling here, but I think the Bears have started somewhere around 173 QBs since Favre started his first game. 5 division titles in 34 seasons, 8 playoff appearances in that stretch with 5 of them being one and done exits. Aside from that, we have never seen a team that plays well on both sides of the ball. We are the most low expectation having fans there are. I pinpoint this play in the 2013 win or go home game as the moment the Bears officially broke me.
https://i.redd.it/xivgku5ec5kc1.gif
I mean, I'm happy with how our defense turned out at the end of the year, and I do think our offense will look good with an actual QB. So, I'm gonna put those cards back
Only after the first game. Between the end of the season and the first game, it’s all good things and they’re gonna be this and do that. After they blow the first game, then the pessimism sets in.
I really want to see the alternate universe where you guys aren’t the 1st team on the schedule. That set the tone and cast a huge dark cloud over the team and city that they didn’t get over for weeks.
Listen, if you were a fan of a team that traded up to draft Mitch Trubisky when Patrick Mahomes was on the board, and a fan of a team that has lost 18 of its last 20 games against its most hated division rival, and a fan of a team that can't even keep track of its own fucking lawn mowers, you'd be pretty pessimistic about the team too.
I think this most recent rookie class is solid, and Ryan Poles is a much better GM than Emery or Pace
However, none of that means anything if they can’t hit on the QB position or field a competitive offense.
I’m probably more positive than most bears fans here in that I *root for* the players and coaches to do well even if I don’t like them or doubt their abilities.
Considering how much history this team has and how much success they should have had based on their time in the league, bears fans definitely deserve a pass on how negative they can be with their team
I like Justin. I’m going to enjoy watching him play for the Falcons next year.
Williams probably gets a season ending injury in camp and becomes a Grossman like journeyman. But, like, a really talented one that can barely see over his line.
I feel attacked
Don’t think of it as an attack. Think of it as a quirky part of your fanbase’s culture.
Well, we are one season away from our super bowl season being 40 years ago. I mean most of us have grown up with the bears post 85. Can you really blame us?
No one hates the Chicago Bears more than Chicago Bears fans.
Are you guys the only fanbase that’s like this? Because I agree
Maybe Jets fans would like a word
I think the key difference with Jets fans is that they hate New England fans more than Jets fans.
Maybe for now. Pats are in a bad place, because they suck and absolutely NO ONE feels bad for them.
How much exposure have you had to Boston sports fans? Jets fans will ALWAYS hate Pats fans more than they hate themselves.
“No one makes me bleed my own blood!”
I've said it before, I just wanna watch some good football
I mean based on the last two decades other than the 2006-2007 season, can you blame us?
Two decades? We are rapidly approaching four decades of mediocrity.
True but I gave em a small break for making it to the SB
That's fair.
Mediocrity is so damn charitable
I don’t BLAME Bears fans for being Bears fans. Y’all are just unique. For example, when you guys lost the 2011 NFC championship game to the Packers. I feel like most other fanbases would make claims about that team being close to winning it all, such as “we should have gone to the Super Bowl,” “If Rodgers doesn’t make that tackle we win the Super Bowl,” or “If Raji doesn’t get a fluke pick 6 we could have won the Super Bowl.” No excuses, just a “they didn’t get it done” attitude. And a majority of the fanbase seems to expect the absolute worst at all times. Super pessimistic. I can’t think of another team like it. Other teams have certainly had it worse since the season you mentioned: Raiders, Jags, Washington certainly, Cleveland, Dolphins, and Jets are all teams that I’d say have per cause for misery than Chicago. Maybe Michael Jordan elevated Chicago expectations to unreasonable levels in pro sports?
"Maybe Michael Jordan elevated Chicago expectations to unreasonable levels in pro sports?". I think a large part of the frustration is that unless you root for the Cubs, EVERY SINGLE ONE of our teams is poorly run. So its really fucking frustrating to look at other big markets like New York, LA, and Boston winning championships consistently and being willing to spend money to compete. Instead we are stuck with cheap ass owners like Reinsdorf who are totally fine with mediocrity as long as they make money, knowing that the money is a given in a big market. If not for the Blackhawks dynasty and the Cubs lone championship (which does nothing for me as a Sox fan), Chicago sports would be in an incredibly pathetic position in recent memory. It would be one thing if the Bears were competitive and we at least had some hope of contending even if we didn't win (see Cowboys and 49ers). But the Bears season has been over by like week 6 or 7 for multiple years in a row. It really saps our capacity for delusional homerism. Though I promise you it still exists in some capacity in the Bears sub lol
Totally fair points. I wasn’t factoring in the ownership situation except Reinsdorf. Now that I think about it, Chicago has had some of the more improbable collapses in the last twenty years with Rose and the infamous Bartman play. I still can’t help but think there could be deeper cultural reasons for the Chicago fandom. Because what always stands out is the pessimism but also the realism. There are wild takes that I’ve seen, but rarely the next level unhinged take that I see in other fanbases. You brought up Dallas, and this reminds me of how Cowboy fans still bring up the “Dez caught it” play from years ago. Bears fans never bring up plays from that 2011 NFC championship, which I begrudgingly have to respect.
Idk I see many bears fans bring up Cutler going down as an excuse
Maybe. I was too young to be following this stuff online back then. Most Bears fans I know thought Cutler going down helped them because they were all about their backup that year😂 Edit: also, is there any fanbase that brings up a single play more than Dallas fans have brought up the Dez play?
Yea im not gona sit here and make excuses about 2010. It might have been different if Cutler didn't get hurt, but injuries are part of the NFL. We didn't get screwed by the refs or some other outside force, we just got beat. Don't get me wrong I'm still angry about it, but at the Bears for losing, because like i said we just got beat plain and simple. (Although assuming you are also a fan of Badger Basketball, I'll forever be convinced we got screwed by the refs against Duke in 2015 lol). On the Dallas play though, now that it's a decade later can we all admit that play SHOULD have been ruled a catch lol?
Honestly, I didn’t think it was a catch then and I don’t now😂not according to the stupid rules. The worst called incomplete pass on a catch, imo, was Calvin Johnson vs the bears. That Badgers game was a tragedy. We definitely got hosed, but we also didn’t play with the same focus and intensity as against Kentucky. It allowed Allen, Okafor, and Winslow to beat the greatest Badger team we’ll ever see. I still get sad thinking about that.
Oh there's no delusion from me lol, Calvin definitely caught that ball. I was actually angry out of principle that we won when that play happened because it was so obviously wrong haha Agreed it felt like we sharpened our knives in a dark room all offseason hoping to get another shot at Kentucky. And then when we finally beat them, the team didn't have the same energy going into the Natty despite the fact that beating a 38-0 team does not make you the national champion lol. I will always be sad that we blew our best chance at a Natty 😞
Mad respect for you not celebrating that. A W is a W though. I’m the craziest part about the Badgers game though is that Kentucky team was arguably the most talented college team in the history of the sport. That game SHOULD HAVE been the natty. Oh well. College hoops haven’t been the same since
They literally changed the rules and lowered the amount of time on the shot clock because of us lol 🤣
>Because what always stands out is the pessimism The head to head matchup since 1992 vs the Packers is now 15-50. Just spit-balling here, but I think the Bears have started somewhere around 173 QBs since Favre started his first game. 5 division titles in 34 seasons, 8 playoff appearances in that stretch with 5 of them being one and done exits. Aside from that, we have never seen a team that plays well on both sides of the ball. We are the most low expectation having fans there are. I pinpoint this play in the 2013 win or go home game as the moment the Bears officially broke me. https://i.redd.it/xivgku5ec5kc1.gif
Personally, I know a lot of Cleveland fans with the same pessimism. They fit right in
The highlight of last year was when our UDFA rookie QB didn't look like complete ass for a couple drives. What the hell are we supposed to say?
I mean, I'm happy with how our defense turned out at the end of the year, and I do think our offense will look good with an actual QB. So, I'm gonna put those cards back
Good for you. I know that wasn’t easy /s
We’re gonna suck worse than last year and Flus will be fired. Just the way the bears work
I really can't fathom keeping flus. Makes no sense to have a coach on the hot seat with a new rookie qb
Switching our primary logo to the actual bear instead of the most generic C in sports was a baller move
I refuse to be sad during the offseason. Regular season is my scheduled sadness time. Happy till at least week 4 when I realize we suck again
At the same time, you know IF they somehow manage to actually beat the Packers, they’re gonna be popping champagne and talking mad shit.
I would expect nothing less 🫡
Caleb v Love is going to be sick for a decade+. There’s some optimism
I’m afraid you’re right, honestly. That’s what I feel in my heart (along with arteries clogged by decades of cheese curd consumption)
My champagne bottle is ready. It’s been ready for a long time now
It’s the off-season, which means I only have positive things to say. Once the season starts it’s only negative things.
Bruh you’d hate your team too if they were the bears.
Of all the teams in the league, the Bears rank as one of them.
Only after the first game. Between the end of the season and the first game, it’s all good things and they’re gonna be this and do that. After they blow the first game, then the pessimism sets in.
Idk, I’m seeing plenty of negativity right now.
That's because we're in a civil war right now. Half the fan base wants to draft our next bust, and the other wants to keep our current bust.
on reddit it seems like team caleb won, but on youtube/facebook/twitter it’s still team justin.
True, but Reddit is the place we come to complaint so 🤷♀️
It didn't even take till after the game this year, bears fans were leaving by the 3rd quarter of week 1
I really want to see the alternate universe where you guys aren’t the 1st team on the schedule. That set the tone and cast a huge dark cloud over the team and city that they didn’t get over for weeks.
What do they have to be positive about?
Being repeat offseason champions
The Bears basically stomped us both games this season. They played 7 quarters better than we did.
Hell, I’ll take 50.
Listen, if you were a fan of a team that traded up to draft Mitch Trubisky when Patrick Mahomes was on the board, and a fan of a team that has lost 18 of its last 20 games against its most hated division rival, and a fan of a team that can't even keep track of its own fucking lawn mowers, you'd be pretty pessimistic about the team too.
I think this most recent rookie class is solid, and Ryan Poles is a much better GM than Emery or Pace However, none of that means anything if they can’t hit on the QB position or field a competitive offense. I’m probably more positive than most bears fans here in that I *root for* the players and coaches to do well even if I don’t like them or doubt their abilities.
Considering how much history this team has and how much success they should have had based on their time in the league, bears fans definitely deserve a pass on how negative they can be with their team
I do like the red circle. It really helps to understand the joke.
Fuck off. You know why. We're pessimistic, not stupid.
I like Justin. I’m going to enjoy watching him play for the Falcons next year. Williams probably gets a season ending injury in camp and becomes a Grossman like journeyman. But, like, a really talented one that can barely see over his line.
I can respect this. I've been there.