Summer is here and it's hot. And that means it is soon time for NFL, including the Chicago Bears to hit the sleds, do laps, run practice patterns, and sweat like crazy.
Sitting in my apt with the a/c running, I can't imagine working 2-3 hours in morning, take a break, and then do another 2 hours in the blazing heat. You know, these guys may earn their paychecks! The weeding out process begins, coaches bellow, whistles blow, guys do it over. The brain and body fires up and by the end of August, after swigging tons of GatorAde and God knows what else, you have a football player. Hopefully.
I never was a fan of the pre-season. Play 2 or 3 games, make the cuts. The season tickets holders get the honor of having a seat and of having to watch pre-season "practice games." Usually somebody gets hurt and it out for six games. Doesn't make sense. But the NFL is married to cable, and the networks and they pay the big bills.
It's a business, a huge business. So big, that the average fan doesn't comprehend it. Players are conglomerates now. Walking banks with a laptop computer and their uniform is a uniform. When I was a younger fan, the Bears always played the St. Louis Cardinals in August. Like it was some important game. It is important is somebody gets hurt.
Have a scrimmage with a team in Lake Forest. And then have the coaches make the personnel decisions. We don't need to see pre-season football when it's 85 degrees out, using our programs to fan ourselves.
