Bears players have mixed feelings about London junket
Some players were looking forward to their arrival at Heathrow Airport, scheduled for 9:30 a.m. London time — others, not so much.
“I'm enjoying it,” Lance Briggs said. “I have a flip camera. I'm going to start interviewing guys when we get ready to get TSA screened. I'm going to take in the whole experience, every moment that I get. I want to see as much and experience as much as possible.”
Briggs, who would have voted to go earlier in the week, probably won't run into linebacker mate Brian Urlacher when he's out on the town.
“I wish we could leave later,” Urlacher said before departing. “I like sleeping in my own bed, I like being here at Halas Hall, I like practicing with some sort of normalcy. I don't like changing routines, so I like the way we're doing it. Ideally, you don't want to go at all. But we have a game over there, so we're going. It's a business trip for us. We've got to take care of business.”
Anthony Adams was on a mission to elicit a response from the stoic guards at Buckingham Palace.
“I know I'm going to mess with some guards,” the 310-pound nose tackle said. “I just feel it in my gut. I'm going to get them to break. There's not enough room (in the locker room) to show all the moves that I would do, and I don't want them to watch it and get a heads up on what I'm going to do.”
“It's going to be an off-the-cuff, spur-of-the-moment type of thing. No physical contact. The punches will come right here and stop,” he said, grinning and holding his fist inches from his face.
Changed man:Twice-fined by the league and recently demoted by the coaching staff, safety Brandon Meriweather has vowed to change the head-hunting style that has resulted in $45,000 in fines this season alone.#8220;There's a certain type of play that we like,#8221; said Bears coach Lovie Smith. #8220;I don't know about changing his style. We want guys to be in position to make plays, simple as that. Brandon can do all of those things, that's why we brought him here. He didn't play as well as we'd have liked when he had his last opportunity, but he just has to stay focused and keep working. Guys, if they deserve another opportunity, they normally get it. You're never happy when you're not getting as many reps as you would like, but you stay the course.#8221;Just chillin': According to coach Lovie Smith, he and his assistants will be able to relax and #8220;enjoy#8221; their eight-hour flight to London's Heathrow Airport that was scheduled to leave Thursday night at 7:30 and was expected to land this morning (around 3:30 a.m. Chicago time; 9:30 a.m. local time).#8220;We've been planning for this trip for a long time,#8221; he said. #8220;We knew what we needed to get done before we got on the plane. I think most of us will be relaxing, sleeping, and getting ready to get off the plane over there and then go to work.#8221;Despite the disruption, Smith said he does not have a problem with the overseas trip.#8220;I'm all in favor of the trip,#8221; he said. #8220;I was on board with it from the start. I think when you're a team like the Chicago Bears, we should be one of the teams that's out there in front, representing the NFL. So I would rather play Tampa Bay in London than down in Tampa. I'm excited about the trip, it'll be a great experience for our guys, and we need to get a win.#8221;Health report:Wide receivers Devin Hester (chest) and Earl Bennett (chest), tight end Kellen Davis (elbow) and safety Anthony Walters (knee) all were full participants in Thursday's indoor practice at the Walter Payton Center.Safety Major Wright (hip) was limited. Bennett, who was injured in Game Two, appears to be the only one who might not play.#8220;I wish I could say yes,#8221; coach Lovie Smith said when asked if Bennett would play in London. #8220;Once he's healthy and ready to go, we'll get him back in the mix. I really don't know when that is.#8221;For the Bucs, running back LeGarrette Blount (knee) and center Jeff Faine (biceps) did not practice for the second straight day. Defensive tackle Gerald McCoy was limited.#376; Follow Bob's Bears reports via Twitter @Bob LeGere and check out our Bear Essentials blog at dailyherald.com.