Letter of Introduction

Hello!                                                             BearWave

There’s obviously quite a bit to get to following Sunday’s roller-coaster ride of an overtime loss. But as this is my first ever official Bleacher Nation post, I thought it would make sense to give you a quick introduction to myself as well as a brief look at what I hope to bring to the site.

So, let’s get this out of the way: I’m not Brett.

Which is too bad, in a lot of ways; I’ve gotten to know him a bit, and he has been great. It’s hard to convey exactly how honored I am to be writing under the BN banner. It is both a joy and a privilege, and it’s certainly something I take quite seriously. This is one of my favorite places on the Internet, for a multitude of reasons. If my presence on this side of the site can improve upon Bleacher Nation as a whole, I will be thrilled. The community is wonderful, and it’s surreal to think that I’m now a fairly integral part of something I had previously loved from afar. It’s as close as I’ll ever come to being offered a supporting role on Justified, or being asked to perform with The National.

I’m still not sure it’s really happening.

Having said all of those lovely things, there will be some noticeable differences on this part of the site.

First, and necessarily foremost, I’ll be writing about the Chicago Bears.  I love the Bears. Not in a “blindly passionate, to the point that it overrides my ability to objectively critique and analyze the team” sort of way, of course. But I absolutely love them in the “heart in my throat as Robbie Gould lines up for a game-winning field goal” sort of way.  Any close game leaves me coming down from an emotional high that is probably representative of some sort of deeply unhealthy addiction. I love watching football, reading about football, talking about football, even playing football. (I can throw the deep ball, although my neck is as creaky as Peyton Manning’s. I’m not sure how that happened, although like Peyton I also have a gigantic head. Perhaps that’s a factor.)

Other key differences: football has 16 games to baseball’s 162. Try to imagine Bud Selig announcing that the 2014 MLB season will be cut to 16 games. Can you imagine how hyped Brett would be? As a sports fan, I very much try to remain patient and reasonable. But the emphasis on any singular regular season game in the NFL is, and should be, much greater. Any game really can swing a season. That mindset lends itself to a slightly different sort of coverage; Brett can write a ho-hum Enhanced Box Score for a game in May, in which the outcome really doesn’t matter.

That won’t work for the Bears. As a result, you’ll see me on Twitter much more during and after games, attempting to treat them as the very important events that they are, since those 16 Sundays are so disproportionately vital for NFL fans. And you’ll see analysis for single games that would be a gross overreaction in just about any other sport, and certainly for baseball. (That’s not to say you can’t overreact; in fact, I think there’s more than enough overreaction to go around. My goal (and job, really) is to find the right balance.) (As you may have realized, I love parenthetical statements as much as Brett does, so I guess if that’s been the key to the success of Bleacher Nation all along, I’m very much on the right track.)

Another difference: Brett has been doing this for a long time, and he’s one of the best. So, while I’d like to think that I’m a prodigy, I really have no illusions of the sort. He makes it look very easy, and if there are some growing pains on my end, I hope you folks will give me a chance to work through mistakes, learn from them, and evolve.

The final difference I’ll mention: I have a day job. Posts will still go up throughout the day during the week, but my availability to discuss/cover breaking news with the immediacy Brett has brought to the table will be limited, at least to start with. To combat this, I’ll be making a good faith effort to be available in the comments and on Twitter when I’m not at regular work. (My fiancée is already tired of that particular aspect, I think, but I have a feeling that it will be my favorite part of the gig.)

So, that’s my rough outline for melding football coverage with the established greatness of Bleacher Nation. A brief introduction to me personally: I’m 26, engaged to wonderful woman, getting married next fall (to the aforementioned wonderful woman, in case that wasn’t clear), and I love the following things in no particular order: Five Guys, Mike & Ike’s, Coke Zero, my dog, Justified/Mad Men/Sherlock/Top Gear/Jeopardy!, The National/Punch Brothers/Bon Iver, any movie by Wes Anderson, golfing, and reading just about any good piece of writing. I’ve also written a few short stories, and I’ve been published over at The Heckler multiple times. That’s about all the biographical info I want to throw at you; it could turn into an OKCupid profile very quickly if I’m not careful. But if you have any questions for me or about me, you should feel free to leave them in the comments below, and I’ll answer them to the best of my ability.

Welcome to the next phase of Bleacher Nation.

I hope you’re as excited as I am.

written by

Luis C. Medina, who you can find on Twitter at lcm1986, has been covering the Chicago Bears at Bleacher Nation since 2017. Since then, he has written about 3 head coaches, 5 play-callers, and 11 starting quarterbacks. Previously, Luis wrote about the Cubs and MLB at BN (2015-16) and worked in the Chicago Tribune sports department (2011-16). He also co-hosted a Cubs postgame show, Outside the Ivy, in 2019.

more bears news

Chase Young to Sign 1-year Deal with Saints as Another DE Goes Off the Board

If you were looking for the Chicago Bears to reunite Montez Sweat and Chase Young, I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news. Young, a free-agent pass rusher who would've made sense as a Bears offseason target, is reportedly...

The Bears Turned Down a Better Trade Offer to “Do Right” By Justin Fields

Even with the Justin Fields situation resolved by way of Saturday’s trade between the Bears and Steelers, I still found myself coming back to this Ryan Poles quote from Combine Week. The bold emphasis is mine (and you’ll see why...

More D-Line Help: Bears Add Byron Cowart to Defensive Mix

More defensive line help is on the way for the Chicago Bears. On Saturday, the Bears added to their mix of defensive linemen by signing defensive end Jake Martin. And because the job of building out a 90-player offseason roster...

Poles Plan, Sorting Through Fields Mess, What are the Steelers doing? And Other Bears Bullets

The first Monday of the post-Justin Fields era is here and Bears fans are still coming to grips with it. I get it. Lost in the weekend haze was the Bears burying a trade of their former starting quarterback in...

Chicago Bears 7-Round Mock Draft 3.0

In the wake of the Justin Fields trade and week one of free agency, things are starting to take shape, so let’s fire up the PFF Draft Simulator and try to sort out the rest of the 2024 roster with...

Ryan Pace, Darnell Mooney, and Kirk Cousins are Central Figures in NFL Tampering Investigation

In news that has nothing to do with the Chicago Bears trading Justin Fields, a pair of former Bears (and someone the Bears are quite familiar with) find themselves in the middle of an NFL tampering investigation. Ryan Pace, Darnell...

Justin Fields Trade Fallout (And Other Bears Bullets)

Usually, I reserve Sunday's Bears Bullets to be a dumping ground for things I didn't get to in a given week. But today is different (and for obvious reasons). Here is what you missed in case you spent all day...

Here’s What Ryan Poles Had to Say About the Justin Fields Trade

The Justin Fields trade is still oh, so very fresh. Here is what Chicago Bears General Manager Ryan Poles had to say about the trade in a statement issued by the team: We have engaged in multiple trade conversations in...

It’s Over: Justin Fields Traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers

So long, old friend. May the Force be with you. The Justin Fields trade is happening. So says NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport, who is reporting it and sharing the news on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/1769131145688461483 UPDATE (7:45 PM CT): It's officially...

Justin Fields Says Goodbye and Thank You

That Justin Fields trade sure is something. ICYMI: The Bears and Steelers have reportedly agreed on a deal to send Fields from Chicago to Pittsburgh in exchange for a 2025 sixth-round pick. And while it could become a fourth-rounder based...

Latest News

Today’s Best NBA Player Prop Bets – Tuesday, March 19, 2024

In one of the five compelling matchups on the NBA schedule today, the Denver Nuggets and the Minnesota Timberwolves square off at Target Center.There are usually lots of NBA player prop bets available for each and every game. Scroll down...

A “Mutiny” is Developing Within the MLBPA

Two years ago at this time, we were collectively exhaling about the end of a bitter lockout, the signing of a new Collective Bargaining Agreement, and about the fast-approaching season that had once looked to be in serious peril. It...

Nuggets vs. Timberwolves Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – Tuesday, March 19, 2024

The Minnesota Timberwolves (47-21) are underdogs (+7) as they try to build on a three-game win streak when they host the Denver Nuggets (47-21) at 9:00 PM ET on Tuesday, March 19, 2024 at Target Center. The game airs on...

Mavericks vs. Spurs Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Southwest Division opponents square off when the Dallas Mavericks (39-29) visit the San Antonio Spurs (15-53) at AT&T Center, tipping off at 8:00 PM ET on Tuesday, March 19, 2024. The Mavericks are 8.5-point favorites in the game, the fourth...

Pelicans vs. Nets Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Tuesday, March 19, 2024

The Brooklyn Nets (26-42) will try to break a three-game losing streak when they host the New Orleans Pelicans (41-26) on Tuesday, March 19, 2024 at Barclays Center as 8.5-point underdogs. The matchup airs at 7:30 PM ET on YES....

Nuggets vs. Timberwolves Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Tuesday, March 19, 2024

The Minnesota Timberwolves (47-21) are 7-point underdogs as they try to extend a three-game winning streak when they host the Denver Nuggets (47-21) on Tuesday, March 19, 2024 at Target Center. The contest airs at 9:00 PM ET on NBA....

Canucks vs. Sabres Prediction: Odds, Picks, Best Bets – Tuesday, March 19, 2024

The Vancouver Canucks are -198 on the moneyline versus the Buffalo Sabres (+164) on Tuesday, with this game being played at Rogers Arena in Vancouver.Canucks vs. Sabres Favorite, Moneyline, TotalFavorite: Canucks (-198)Underdog: Sabres (+164)Total: 6.5Best Canucks vs. Sabres Promo Codes[lasso...

OH MY: ANTHONY EDWARDS JUST HAD THE BEST DUNK OF THE YEAR

Anthony Edwards has done it again. The emerging Minnesota Timberwolves superstar jammed the most impressive poster dunk of the season against the Utah Jazz on Monday night. Pushing the pace in transition during the third quarter, Edwards passed the ball...

De’Aaron Fox Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Grizzlies – Monday, March 18, 2024

To beat his 3-point prop, De'Aaron Fox must make three from beyond the arc on Monday, when his Sacramento Kings face the Memphis Grizzlies, tipping off at 10:00 PM ET.De'Aaron Fox's Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs. the GrizzliesDe'Aaron Fox's over/under for...

Malik Monk Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Grizzlies – Monday, March 18, 2024

Will Malik Monk make three 3-pointers when the Sacramento Kings face the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday at 10:00 PM ET? If so, he'll beat his prop for the game.Malik Monk's Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs. the GrizzliesMalik Monk's over/under for three-pointers...

more bears news