So here's the thing, guy...

I'm a Chicago Bears fan...no really, I am. After what you read here you might not think so...but I really am.

I have been a Chicago Bears fan since I could understand what football was. I didn't understand pass interference, (even to this day, I take issue with it) nor did I understand shotgun formation from a basic I-form.

After the Cardinals forgot to show up last Sunday and put up a fight against the Vikings, my team is about as close to being eliminated as it possibly can be. Although, if there is a team out there in the NFL that could fuck up something almost guaranteed, it would be the Minnesota Vikings.

So in 1992, I believe I was 9 or 10, my first Bears season came to my attention. I hardly understood anything. From what I did understand though, is that from 1984-1992, the Bears were perennial playoff contenders. I remember watching the Bears play the Lions in 1992 in a game that was to decide the division title (funny how things change). I can't remember if it was Dave Krieg or Scott Mitchell or Rodney Peete. Whomever it was, The Bears fell to the Detroit Lions in 1992 and eventually wound up losing the division to a 12-4 Detroit Lions team.

But the Bears were 11-5, and they did make the playoffs...but who were they matched up against? The first playoff team that included Emmitt Smith, Troy Aikman, Micheal Irvin and all the rest of the 'boys.

The Bears lost that game 17-13 via a goal line stand by Dallas. It ended an era of football prosperity in Chicago that had spanned nearly a decade. Year in and year out they were in the playoffs and had a habit of going quite deep into those playoffs.

My story starts in 1992.

A tumultuous road from there on after was indeed in store for me. Ditka was fired after a 5-11 1993 campaign (of course beating up Jim Harbaugh on the sidelines had something to do with it).

The Dave Wanndsteidt (I don't care if it's spelled wrong, he deserves it) years were filled with crap team after crap team. The defense was horrid and the offense was the best the Bears had seen since the days of Sid Luckman (of course great offense by Bears fan standards is suspect to say the least). Erik Kramer to Curtis Conway became the weekly combo, and when they weren't connecting, Bobby Engram and Jeff Graham were picking up the slack.

Unfortunately this new team made for many 28-27 losses, or sometimes 35-31 loses if we were lucky. Wanny was here and gone without one playoff memory worth saving. There was that wonderful 48-14 tromping in 1995 or 96 against the 49ers in the divisional round of the playoffs. 9-7 was Wanny's highest mark here in Chicago, that was back in the days where 9-7 meant something.

So how does all of this relate to what's going on now with the Chicago Bears?

I'll gladly tell you. The Bears seem to be most successful when they are the outstanding defense and mediocre offensive team. They thrust away offensive gems consistently and cling to offensive liabilities. Go away Curtis Conway, go away Bobby Engram, shew Brenard Berrian, I never knew you anyway Muhsin Muhammid...I love you David Terrel, big contract for you, Marcus Robinson get the hell outta here (and have career years with Minnesota)...get out of here 100 catch Marty Booker, we'll catch you again when you're 33...

and the most relevant to the modern day Bears...Berrian with a 95+ yard TD pass against the Bears to probably eliminate the Chicago Bears from division championship contention.

Although we are most successful when we have a great defense and a mediocre offense, that hardly makes us a successful team as of late. The Superbowl losing team of just 2 years ago seems a hundred years ago. With every Rashied Davis (our supposed #1) drop to strengthen his lead for dropped passed in a season and every Brandon Lloyd sure reception that he somehow turns the wrong way for...I have to keep remininding myself that somehow...this IS Bears football...the only way we know how to play.

Is it purgatory or is it hell?

You decide.