So many reason for Bears fans to be envious

My goodness, how envious must Bears fans be today.

Envious that Green Bay beat Pittsburgh 31-25 on Sunday to win Super Bowl XLV.

The Packers prevailed by being everything Chicago wants the Bears to be.

Chicago football fans can start off by being envious that Green Bay has Ted Thompson as general manager, Mike McCarthy doubling as head coach and offensive playcaller, and Aaron Rodgers at quarterback.

Those are the primary faces of any NFL franchise, and Chicagoans have to be envious that the Packers have them and the Bears don't.

Bears fans can also be envious that the Packers have won four of the 45 Super Bowls with three different head coaches and three different quarterbacks.

Not only that but they can be envious that the little hamlet up north has won two championships in the quarter-century since the big city down south won its only one.

Let's see, what else?

Oh, yeah, Bears fans can be envious that the Packers had to place 15 players on injured reserve this season and still won the Super Bowl.

Bears fans also can be envious that the Packers beat the Steelers despite losing veteran defensive anchor Charles Woodson to injury, you know, when the Bears couldn't overcome losing offensive anchor Jay Cutler midway through the NFC championship game.

Fans here can be envious that the Packers draft so well that their depth can overcome injuries and the Bears don't draft well enough to win a title while healthy.

Bears fans can be envious that the Packers overcame a Super Bowl experience deficit to beat the Steelers.

They can be envious that it customarily takes a stake through Pittsburgh's heart to eliminate the Steelers and the Packers drove it in and twisted it around when the game was in the balance.

Bears fans can be envious that defensive-player-of-the-year candidate Clay Matthews made a big play for Green Bay and the Pack didn't allow defensive-player-of-the-year winner Troy Polamalu to make one for Pittsburgh.

Let's see, what else?

Oh, yeah, Chicagoans can be envious that since the Bears' last Hall of Fame quarterback, the Packers have had one, another sure to get in and a third embarking on what could be a Cantonesque career.

Yes, Bears fans, you can be envious that the Packers have gone from Bart Starr to Brett Favre to Aaron Rodgers.

Meanwhile, you can be envious that the Packers have gone from Vince Lombardi to Mike Holmgren to Mike McCarthy.

Bears fans can be envious that the Packers won the Super Bowl by winning what amounted to six straight elimination games, including two over the Bears.

Bears fans also can be envious that Green Bay beat Pittsburgh by winning the turnover battle that Bears coach Lovie Smith emphasizes.

They can be envious of the Packers' aggressive zone-blitz boogie that makes the Bears' Cover-2 look like a waltz.

Bears fans can be envious that it was the Packers and not the Bears who sent the Steelers' Big Bad Ben Roethlisberger to his room without a championship this season.

They can be envious that the Super Bowl trophy is named for Lombardi and not a guy named Halas.

Finally, most of all, Bears fans can be envious that today that town up north again has the right to call itself Titletown U.S.A.

mimrem@dailyherald.com