Is Bears’ success for real?

“Nouveau riche” is a French term meaning newly rich, but it also refers to the newly rich personality: a person whose unexpected windfall exceeds their common sense. They buy a new car or clothes they don’t need because they can, not because they have to.

The 2025 Chicago Bears are a nouveau successful NFL team. There are varying degrees of success. In 2001, the Bears were 13-3, In 2005 and 2006 they were 11-5 and 13-3 respectively. There was a 10-6 year too before the 2018 blip of 12-4. There’s another term for Bears success: fleeting. They rarely have two winning seasons in a row. Even when they shine, you don’t hear the sports world utter the words “Bears” and “dynasty” in the same sentence. But in 2025, the Chicago Bears are no worse than 11-6. That qualifies as a degree of success.

While I share Bears fans’ enthusiasm, I wonder if we all, including sports podcasters, armchair quarterbacks, and social media mavens could exercise a little restraint and humility until the Bears win a playoff game. Let them stack a few more wins against the Green Bay Packers.

If ripping a shirt off and general bluster is what Bears players and coaches need to win, fine. That doesn’t mean the rest of us have to. One miracle-ending win over “The Pack” doesn’t a dynasty make. Nor does teasing the possibility of a Northwest Indiana stadium.

Beating the Packers once every six years isn’t a ticket to act obnoxious.

Jim Newton

Itasca