Bears Blitz

Published by Scott Ottersen on August 31, 2009
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears

Can we cut it out with all this preseason crap already?  I’m tired of people making a big deal of preseason games, stats, holdouts, mistakes, etc.

None of it matters.

The only thing that matters in the preseason is the position battles. And, if your team is having a battle for who will start at a certain position that isn’t determined until week three of the preseason, then chances are either person that wins that battle isn’t going to make that much of a difference on your team, anyways.

I do understand the importance of getting guys in shape for games, and getting them used to the pace of the game, but aren’t these guys professionals? Haven’t they played football their entire lives? Haven’t they just had three to four months off to relax their minds and bodies, and/or to get into shape for the upcoming season?

I tell you what, why don’t they have a training camp and preseason scenario in the business world, as well. I’d love to get a few months off in the winter/spring months, come back for a training camp atmosphere, where we ease our way back into work, only working three to four-hour shifts until we get used to the pace of a nine to five again. 

We should also have some new guys/girls “trying out” for our job, as well, so that we have to prove our worth to the company. I don’t know why more companies don’t do this.  It might help weed out the slackers.

But, I digress.

Everyone always makes the point that “it’s just preseason” or “these games don’t really matter,” yet they talk about them like it’s the Super Bowl. And because guys look good against the other team’s third stringer/next-to-get-cut guys, they’re ready to appoint them the next big thing in the NFL.

As a man, I love watching football. That is a given. But, for some reason, I just can’t get down with preseason football. It’s not the game. It’s not the way they play. It’s just because I know it’s preseason and the games don’t matter. 

Everyone is free to enjoy them on their own, but we all don’t want to hear about how this guy is going to be the next big deal, or how this team is going to have a great year because they went 4-0 in the preseason.

Can’t we agree just to let them play the preseason games and not talk about it so much until week one starts?

Nobody likes to watch games (or make a big deal about games) with the likes of Gibran Hamdan, Isaac Redman, Lynell Hamilton, and Marcus Mason leading the way. Do you get excited watching them have good games knowing they won’t see any playing time during the regular season?

What good does it do us to talk about games that involve players that won’t ever be mentioned again?

I know I will receive hate mail from those few people out there who still care about the preseason. All I will say to you is stop buying what the media is selling. They HAVE to care about preseason football. They are being paid to care about it.

You, however, have the option to change the channel or to skim over the box score the next day, rather than waste your time watching the game and making them believe people still care.

Let’s put an end to all this preseason football mania. Even the commissioner discussed shortening the preseason. Maybe he is one of us. 

Preseason football is such a tease. And, nobody likes teases. Unless, of course it pays off in the end. And, preseason football does not pay off in the end.

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