O'Donnell: Forget about Bobby Douglass, Justin Fields' new best friend is the safety slide
IF THE BEARS GET LUCKY, Justin Fields will never again rush for 178 yards as he did last Sunday at Soldier Field.
He won't even come close.
The Bears lost to Miami, 35-32. The developing Fields, thankfully, escaped any serious injury to his 23-year-old bones.
On the CBS telecast, analyst Trent Green cited the sudden arc-out of former Carolina comet Cam Newton as Exhibit A of what happens to run-oriented QBs in the NFL.
Five battered years in - including a trip to Super Bowl 50 in 2016 - Newton, then age 26, and his prime seasons of ascent were over due to recurring injuries.
MUCH MORE OMINOUSLY, in the hours and days since the fleet footin' of Fields, media has resurrected memories of Bobby Douglass, previously the most prolific rushing quarterback in Bears history.
Douglass was big for the time (6-foot-4, 225), wheat-field fearless and rambled for a theatrical 968 yards in the 14-game 1972 season.
But he also played behind whiz-poor offensive lines. And the years in which he started any games for the Munchkins (1969-75) includes the darkest period in franchise history.
In tandem with Jim Dooley (1969-71), the Bears and Douglass finished 1-13, 6-8 and 6-8.
Under Abe Gibron (1972-74), Bobby D and 'mates slunk home 4-9-1, 3-11 and 4-10.
AS ED O'BRADOVICH SAID after Douglass was released by Jim "The Savior" Finks: "Some other positions, like strong safety, outside linebacker or tight end, Douglass probably could have been an All-Pro. Just not quarterback."
At Ohio State, Fields proved he has the heart and instincts of a champion.
Now his challenge for the final two months of the fading season is to safety slide and go down often enough to see another healthy training camp.
STREET-BEATIN':
With the assurance of a second term, will Gov. J.B. Pritzker become more open to some form of state assistance for the Bears with their possible redevelopment of Arlington Park? The Chicago-Springfield corridor may be quietly pushing for a new influence on the franchise's minority-partner side. ...
As expected, the World Series of Dusty Baker and the Astros over Philadelphia was one of the lowest-rated ever. Only the pandemic-pocked 2020 WS between the Dodgers and Tampa Bay drew poorer TV numbers. Maybe Rob Manfred and MLB imagineers can figure a way to generate phantom Nielsen boosters - on any base. ...
The major league postseason only lifted the stock of Jon "Boog" Sciambi with ESPN. Locally, as Cubs play-by-player on soft-mattress snoozer Marquee Sports, he's the second coming of John Rooney - personal impact nationally, Chicago market minimal. ...
Plumb dumb speculation that Dallas power broker Jerry Jones would be opposed to Jeff Bezos owning the Washington Commanders. Jones is already on record saying he'd "carry Jeff on my back" to get the Amazon drone master into the most charmed circle in American sports. ...
Keith Williams - Good Karma Brands market manager for ESPN Chicago - confirmed that if the White Sox makes the playoffs next season, conflicting Bears games will be moved off new flagship AM-1000 to another outlet. That's an amazing splash of second-class citizenship for George McCaskey and the Staleys. ...
The passing of the great Dave Butz reminds of a Prospect High game Thanksgiving Eve 1968 at Maine South. Knights ace sophomore center Dave Lundstedt (6-foot-3, 175 pounds) was attempting to guard Butz (6-7, 245 at the time). When Butz posted low at one end of the gym, Lundstedt's classmates - who had won the preliminary game and were sitting 14 and 15 rows up - couldn't see their pal behind the mobile teen mountain. ...
Dave Corzine and Zach Zaidman are back for another season of audio coverage of DePaul men's basketball. Home base remains WSCR-AM (670). Corzine is also in the visionary stage of building up the far North suburban Ingleside Yacht Club. (So far, Andy Pancratz is the only tepid pledge; Joe Ponsetto is waffling because of the long drive.) ...
Hope springs internal for Fighting Illini fans: If Tommy DeVito and the No. 21 Grange Grovers can win out - including at No. 3 Michigan in two weeks and then over No. 2 Ohio State in the Big Ten title game - they're right back on the fringe of the CFP conversation. ...
And former ESPNer Jeff Saturday, the tank-friendly new Colts HC of the bare NFL sideline resume: "I'm here. Nobody expects anything."
• Jim O'Donnell's Sports and Media column appears Sunday. and Thursday. Reach him at jimodonnelldh@yahoo.com.