With season over, Bears fun to watch

If they can possibly forget for a moment the Daily Show evolving at Comedy Central Hall in Lake Forest, perhaps the Bears can answer a few questions.

Yes, the constant change of opinion and policy on quarterbacks and coaches is a nice distraction and provides a necessary dose of humor in difficult times, but it also keeps us chasing our tails and the focus off the real issues and philosophies.

So let us ponder the games we saw last weekend, and even the weekend before.

If the Bears were honest, what would they say about what they've seen?

Are they fooled by the records of Arizona and Philly? Or do they understand now that they're not at all "close,'' as Lovie Smith said within minutes of concluding the 2008 season?

You also wonder if they see how quickly they can change that with a few key personnel moves and a key change in defensive posture.

You wonder if they realize that of the four teams remaining, there's not one against which they could pressure the quarterback and not one against which they could protect their own.

Of the final eight, were there any teams against which they could consistently hurry an opposing QB, or keep their own from spending a majority of the game with footprints on his back?

Maybe one team? Maybe none?

If they can't see that, it's hopeless for this regime, and they'll be out of jobs when they're out of years on their contracts - if not sooner.

But how can they not see it?

And if they can see it, will they be so stubborn as to continue down the same path, unwilling to attack the quarterback and too often unable to protect their own?

Or will they finally be willing to change?

This is as basic as it gets, and if they can't recognize the importance, then you can forget about getting deep into the playoffs again, and we'll just have to be content with the Daily Show, followed by Spin City.

It is brutally funny, if you go for that sort of thing.

Best ever

With a superb postseason, Cards receiver Larry Fitzgerald has become a household name, but if he's a surprise to anyone, they obviously didn't see him at Pitt.

He is quite simply the best college football player I've ever seen, and if you watch him in the NFL, then the grab he made in traffic on a deep route last weekend, timing his leap while fighting off defenders, doesn't surprise you, either.

He's got the best hands you'll ever see, good jumping ability, perfect concentration no matter how much he's mugged, runs great routes, is as strong as a bull, fast, and blocks with anyone.

It was criminal that Fitzgerald didn't take home the Heisman in 2003, when it said right here you'd never again see that 2003 winner when he left college and that there never has been a more ridiculous vote.

Do you even remember his name?

Fitzgerald has a chance to be a Hall of Famer if he stays healthy, while the '03 Heisman winner heard his name last week only because he was remembered as another title-game, Heisman flop for Oklahoma.

QB Jason White, who went undrafted, already has been forgotten. The man who should have won, Larry Fitzgerald, is going to play on Sundays for a very long time, and this Sunday he has a chance to get his team to the Super Bowl.

The list

Despite the wrong winner, the Heisman top 10 in 2003 was fairly strong. After White and Fitzgerald, No. 3 was Eli Manning, and he was followed by Chris Perry, Darren Sproles, Matt Leinart, Philip Rivers, Mike Williams, Ben Roethlisberger and B.J. Symons.

The draft

Here's the top 15 from the 2004 draft: 1. Eli Manning (San Diego). 2. Robert Gallery (Oakland). 3. Larry Fitzgerald (Arizona). 4. Philip Rivers (Giants). 5. Sean Taylor (Washington). 6. Kellen Winslow (Cleveland). 7. Roy Williams (Detroit). 8. DeAngelo Hall (Atlanta). 9. Reggie Williams (Jacksonville). 10. Dunta Robinson (Houston). 11. Ben Roethlisberger (Pittsburgh). 12. Jonathan Vilma (Jets). 13. Lee Evans (Buffalo). 14. Tommie Harris (Bears). 15. Michael Clayton (Tampa).

In hindsight it's easy, but how many players would you have moved up to get if you were picking 14th?

Bull stuff

Raise your hand if your biggest fear regarding Derrick Rose is what this collection of poison is going to do to him before they get some decent players, people and coaching around him.

Rose has no ceiling as far as talent, and everything you hear about his character so far is positive, but if he has to spend enough time around that stuff, it could have a terrible effect on him.

UnBearable

From e-mailer The Last Bear Fan: "So what we have is the head coach, who fired the coordinator of the league's fifth-ranked defense, still employed. And the coordinator who replaced him, the one who masterminded the fall to 21st in the league, still employed. And the guy who led the league's bottom-feeding defense, is joining the crew. And Matt Millen is out there looking for work. Maybe the Bears can bring him in to draft a wide receiver.''

Best headline

Sportspickle.com: "Herm Edwards getting lukewarm reception from publishers for his playbook.''

And finally -

Comedian Alex Kaseberg, on Florida's Tim Tebow getting flagged for taunting: "Prior to that, the only penalty Tebow received was for walking on water and turning Gatorade into wine without a license.''

brozner@dailyherald.com