Lincicome: In the Era of Caleb, we will all be witnesses to what exactly?
Most eras last several hundred years, including our present era, which began some time before electricity, not to put more pressure on Caleb Williams, who, at least, should last past Thanksgiving.
It has been widely reported that we are in the Era of Caleb, and lucky we are to have been notified. We can mark our calendars and get on with lawn work.
How Williams earned his own era before actually taking part in it must be blamed on those other than Williams himself, who nevertheless does not blush when alerted.
His stated goal is modest, if “immortality” can be considered humble, when the first step to that begins at Soldier Field against Tennessee, a team as vague as the Bears.
With a forgiving schedule to follow, it is possible to see the Bears in the playoffs (poised is the favored word) if not for the unfortunate fact that division tests Detroit and Green Bay are clearly better and await twice each.
Typically, optimists cling to the Bears like lint on a pallbearer with projections beyond good sense, several “experts” seeing the playoffs, invoking that niggling phrase — wild card — while the assorted and abundant bookmakers keep the Bears where they belong, somewhere in the bottom half of the league.
Ten wins would be astounding, nine encouraging and eight or seven promising, whereas I am already on the record as 6-11.
However it goes will depend, as all Bears successes do, on defense and running, and the Bears are OK with each. But until then all eyes and reviews will be on young Mr. Williams.
There has not been a quarterback festooned with such high expectations since, well, Peyton Manning maybe or another Manning, there being so many of them.
We do recall highly hyped farces like Ryan Leaf, too, and JaMarcus Russell, and Johnny Manziel, not to forget the Bears’ own Mitch Trubisky and Justin Fields, neither of whom left any fingerprints.
There are no sure things with quarterbacks, and it may get no better than it is right now with Williams unfailed and untested, his praises in his pocket, a bright light at the end of a very long tunnel.
Williams is, after all, a Heisman Trophy winner and three-time loser to Utah, just to give some balance to the hype.
Still, it is hard to find anyone to disagree with the wisdom and the good fortune of the Bears to find someone most needed by a team used to using quarterbacks as accessories, like mudflaps on a stroller.
Most commonly Williams is identified as “generational” and what that means exactly is unclear since generations have been both lost and great, but I will assume it means that others of his age and experience are less than he and merely momentary.
“Generational” may also mean that Williams is built to last and will someday have his name and number included with, oh, say Rex Grossman and Jay Cutler on the Great Wall of Oops in Halas Hall.
Williams is full of confidence, say those who notice such things, as are those who see in Williams the answer to the perpetual question, “Why can’t the Bears find a quarterback?”
The old show business cliché of the understudy being sent out on stage with the encouragement, “You’re going out there a nobody and coming back a star,” is turned upside down with Williams. He is going out there a star and coming back, who knows?
Bill Belichick, the old grouch and once ringmaster for Tom Brady, is among the few demurrers, questioning Williams’ accuracy and his dimmed highlights.
This is, I suppose, from seeing Williams in a very limited preseason, or maybe harking back to Williams’ last USC season, when the nation got to witness him floundering against Notre Dame with 3 interceptions, 6 sacks and under 200 yards passing.
The truth is, no one knows, not Williams himself, not coach Matt Eberflus, not master puppeteer Ryan Poles, not the hopeful Bears fans who will not be misled for more than a couple of months.
Don’t be deceived. That is the season kickoff you see, not an overweight chorus line. A new era, indeed.