Colt Bear Ramblings

Monday, January 15, 2007

Colt Bear Ramblings

Tom Brady is tired. That's not a good story any more. Peyton Manning is always a good story. The NFL has been ready for him to get a ring for a long time now. I mean the NFL community as a whole. Maybe not the league officials. But I would think even they would want their unofficial spokesman to be known as a winner at some point. I think it's time for the Colts to win the Super Bowl. Or at least get there.

I have never been a conspiracy theorist. I like sport for sport sake and I want to believe everyone else does too. But I'm not dumb. I realize that people can't get enough of the New Orleans Saints story. I think "they" would be more than happy to be force-fed that piece all this week...and then eat it up for two more before the Super Bowl as well. Throw on top of that the Peyton/Archie Manning-New Orleans connection, and you have a storyline worth its weight in gold. The Colts are at home. They will beat the Patriots. The Bears are also at home. But I think they're supposed to lose to the Saints. I feel that's the way the script has been written.

And besides, I have been absolutely dreading a Colts/Bears Super Bowl--as intriguing as it would be. It's always been kind of one of those pipe dreams I guess. My two favorite teams. But now that it's two collective wins away from happening, I am apprehensive. I have too many Colts fans too close (sister, Dad, Megan, roommate, etc) to be at all comfortable with two weeks of buildup and then a football game featuring those two. But I can't root against the Colts at this point. Especially versus the Patriots.

But if it does come down to a Colts/Bears Super Bowl, I need to watch it by myself. Or with another Bears fan. Somewhere. I have to get away. I should.

I guess it seems lightly unfair for Indianapolis fans--they're almost-success of the past few years. The Colts deserve a Super Bowl win somewhere along the way. I was only six when the Bears last won, but at least I remember it. Fairly well, actually. But I also lived in Indy long enough to gain respect for Manning and go to a few games and cheer and whatnot. So some part of me realizes a Super Bowl win would be nice for the Colts. But the Bears are the Bears. I've been a fan ever since I got that Hutch full uniform complete with shoulder pads and chin strap.

I don't know who's window of opportunity is smaller. Manning is still in his prime, and the Colts have seemed to lose a couple pieces here and there and still keep their identity. A few years ago you could have bet that a Colt Super Bowl would have included Edgerrin and Marcus Pollard. Not the case. On the other hand, the Bear defense is still relatively young, and their quarterback is essentially a rookie. But they could go either way so quickly. I feel that...even though the Bears have only recently joined the party of elite teams, their window may be smaller. Lance Briggs may be on his way out. Muhsin is getting old to be sure. Mike Brown is about to break. For good. And Urlacher can't be that dominant forever. I think the Colts' system has more staying power.

For awhile I was hoping that the Colts would hurry up and win their Super Bowl before the Bears got good again (same with the Pacers and Bulls, actually). Neither happened. The Bears are good again, and I feel somewhat badly that the Colts didn't get it yet. But that doesn't change my level of Bear-rooting come gameday, that's for sure.

But as I mentioned before, I don't believe the Bears will get to the Super Bowl. And it may be because Grossman throws three picks and loses two fumbles. It may be because McCallister runs for 137 yards and Bush for another 74. That's all possible. But I wouldn't be surprised to see the Saints somehow make it to the Super Bowl to complete the Colts/Saints/Peyton/Archie/Katrina magical puzzle. I'm not saying, I'm just saying... That would be a couple darn good story line to milk for two weeks.

And so my predictions...

Colts 24 Patriots 23 (AV at the horn)

Saints 28 Bears 17

And if that's the case, I'll be rooting for the Colts with abandon come February 4th. No doubt about that.