Bring on the Packers, the Haters, the Hype, a New Identity, and Other Bullets

FOOTBALL SZN IS HERE. AHHHH!

Just feed me all of the hype videos I can cram into my eye holes:

My current mood…

Let’s go!!!!!#Bears | #GBvsCHI | #Bears100 pic.twitter.com/G6AwOF8TwQ

— Jarrett Payton (@paytonsun) September 5, 2019

Mitchell is ready:

View this post on Instagram

Go time! @bose #teambose #boseheadphones​

A post shared by Mitchell Trubisky (@mtrubisky10) on Sep 4, 2019 at 1:51pm PDT

Even Betty White is ready for it:

100 years of NFL football.#WeReady… and so is @BettyMWhite 💯 #NFL100 pic.twitter.com/HyLgQ2KbvJ

— NFL (@NFL) September 3, 2019

Here we go with the disrespect:

I love it. Bring it on. https://t.co/sW8STJFU2a

— Bleacher Nation Bears (@BN_Bears) September 5, 2019

https://twitter.com/SBNation/status/1169302422109294592

My friend Josh brought this to my attention, but just two of SI.com’s dozen or so pro football experts have the Bears making the playoffs the season. Further, there are NONE who have them getting to the NFC title game. Super Bowl? Pffffft. Fuggheddaboutit. No shot. It was easy to understand doubting the Bears last year, but having a winning record against teams with winning records, winning 12 games, taking the division title, and making the playoffs should have earned them more respect than they have now. Whatever. They’ll just have to do it again. And I bet this helps serve as motivation … s if they needed any more.

Believe it or not, football players are human beings. And when human beings are slighted, even in the smallest of ways, they take it personally. Great things happen when folks are motivated. And when teams are motivated? Watch out.

Get in, loser. We’re Chasing Greatness:

One of THE ICONIC teams in the NFL!

The @ChicagoBears are ready to end their 33 year wait for the Lombardi trophy!

Watch Chasing Greatness: Chicago Bears exclusively on NFL Game Pass

📺 https://t.co/q0vfz52Gaf pic.twitter.com/V773tATZ08

— NFL UK & Ireland (@NFLUKIRE) September 4, 2019

And from the other side of the coin, some good perspective:

I'm not comparing Trubisky to Mahomes, but Nagy pointed out to me this offseason that along with sitting behind Alex Smith for a year, Mahomes also stepped into an offense where most guys had multiple years in the system. This is Year 2 for everyone on the Bears. Not just Mitch.

— Robert Mays (@robertmays) September 4, 2019

Taylor Gabriel is going to be the friend looking back at Adrian Amos from the end zone:

Bears WR Taylor Gabriel says he hopes he gets a shot to beat Adrian Amos deep. He says they stopped texting this week: "I'm not your friend this week. I'll be your friend again next week."

— Jason Lieser (@JasonLieser) September 4, 2019

Beware of Mobile Mitch:

Watching last years Bears games again and while I know he has some limitations as a passer, Trubisky's mobility can just kill you. He has a great feel for pressure and keeps his eyes downfield when escaping it. Have to keep your discipline as a pass rusher.

— Aaron Nagler (@AaronNagler) September 3, 2019

With the regular season arriving today, the Chicago Tribune’s countdown of the Bears’ 100 best players ended with Sweetness:

100 hundred days ago, the Tribune began counting down the best Bears ever.

Hours went into deciding the rankings, but no discussion was needed for the top spot.

Walter Payton is the best player in the history of the Chicago Bears.https://t.co/wCWXBKMVaR pic.twitter.com/18JRIzgBhd

— Chicago Tribune Sports (@ChicagoSports) September 5, 2019

“There’s a difference between great and legendary … and then you’ve got Walter Payton”

https://www.instagram.com/p/B2A1caCFWnB/

Shoutout to Will Larkin for putting together the Tribune’s top-100 list. Will and I worked at the Tribune together and was one of my favorite teammates. So to see him get this opportunity to do something huge and absolutely nail it was ridiculously awesome. I can’t say enough about Will or the list to do it justice, but check it out because you won’t have any regrets.

You can even listen to Will’s interview with 670 The Score’s “Bernstein & McKnight Show” talking about the list and read about it at The Pantagraph, where he got his start in the industry. Both are worth your time if you’re a Bears fan..

Keurig cups, dorm room gear, travel pillows, and more are your Deals of the Day at Amazon.

So, so, so pretty:

https://www.instagram.com/p/B2AqOihlYUp/

It ain’t Vegas, but it’ll do:

Bears to the Super Bowl? You can bet on it! pic.twitter.com/UClBCf9vbE

— Bleacher Nation Bears (@BN_Bears) September 5, 2019

They’re still working out all of the kinks at sports books in Indiana, but they are up and running just in time for football season. But just be prepared for new employees working in a new system, and plenty of first-time gamblers who are new to the scene. Even I had to tell myself to take a breath because I knew not everyone is going to be as prepared as I was at the window. And while I don’t mind explaining things to people who don’t understand exactly what they’re doing, having to do their math was no fun (but consider it a professional courtesy from my perspective). I’ll probably do a more in-depth review once I spend an afternoon in the book (it’s happening eventually).

Khalil Mack is popular:

6️⃣ QBs, 2️⃣ WRs, 1️⃣ RB and 1️⃣ defensive player (Hi @FiftyDeuce) lead our list of top selling jerseys for the 2019 @NFL preseason! #WeReady for #NFL100 to kickoff pic.twitter.com/v9psRywS80

— Fanatics (@Fanatics) September 5, 2019

For your listening pleasure:

On the latest Under Center Podcast the @SNFonNBC crew joins @JJStankevitz to discuss the #Bears season outlook and @LukeStuckmeyer breaks down Bears-Packers w/Dave Wannstedt

LISTEN: https://t.co/G51KiH1d7v pic.twitter.com/zsbGeoZky3

— NBC Sports Chicago (@NBCSChicago) September 5, 2019

Here’s to doing something for a good cause:

Proud to be a part of this incredible fantasy football league along with some titans of industry like @FO_ASchatz and @MarcasG

Please help @CEmma670 and myself raise money for a great cause, the Bears Care Foundation!!! https://t.co/bw0Uoz7Uca

— Brad_OTC (@BradOTC) September 4, 2019

This is neat:

IT’S GAME DAY!! A ticket from the only @ChicagoBears @packers game I got to go to. Along with a 30,000 crochet stitch Bears logo I did. #DaBears #Bears100 #BearDown #bearsfanforlife #lovedabears @BN_Bears @TheRealStaley pic.twitter.com/wzTzpunPjG

— Deec (@Deec054) September 5, 2019