“Man it makes me so happy just knowing my career isn’t going down the drain.” Former Bear linebacker Roquan Smith on his time in Baltimore more beneficial than his time in Chicago and if Chicago had given him the money he wanted to be the highest paid linebacker in the league. Truly after his departure the Bears defense fell apart. Since 2018 there have been a number of notable departures from the Bears acquired by draft or trade. And the thousand yard stare and the losses pile up. With constant change in front office administration and a need to turn over the roster. Since the end of the Lovie Smith/ Brian Urlacher time in Chicago the Bears are a hot mess. Up and down since the 90’s. However Lovie Smith was the last coach to get the Bears to the Super Bowl in ‘06/’07. Even then it was a cluster fuck particular at quarter back which is clear when you make it to the Super Bowl with Rex Grossman under center. Maybe not the reason they lost the Super Bowl but reasons why they didn’t win. Football is a physical sport. Probably the most physical of all American sports. How much can a body take in constant losing without guaranteed contracts as in other sports? Regardless of sport it’s hard to watch one of your star players walk or get traded particular when there’s genius in acquiring that talent. The last few years if you want a linebacker the best place to go is the University of Georgia. Smith is the second Georgia linebacker in the last few years after Leonard Floyd who ends up winning a Super Bowl with the Rams in ’21. It’s like saying “get out while you can.”  Even if you don’t play linebacker, Ahem, Justin Fields. Really baseball and basketball are sports where an athlete is willing to go through a rebuild. The NFL you want to get past your rookie contract and sign a big contract with a team on the verge of winning and they’re willing to pay. Sports being a business so you’re not playing for one team in a league with 32 sets of eyes. Each week is an audition. The last thing you want is to feel is your career is going down the drain. Which if considered is a rough thing to say about any team in any sport. Smith did say, “it was bittersweet to be traded.” He knows the regard for the position of linebacker in Chicago. Certainly he would have been a legend here. But how many coaches would he have to suffer before he’d reach the success he’s had in Baltimore? There is no burying the lead in this one. But Brian Urlacher was in Chicago for 13 years and might have a problem with that statement. And the recently passed Dick Butkus. With that in mind we have been hurt by linebackers leaving. Does anyone remember Wilber Marshall?  

 The Cubs let go of David Ross after four tough seasons at the helm of the Cubs including seeing the club through covid. There is a lot of love on the North Side for "Rossy" because he was a pivotal part of the 2016 World Series winner Cubs. Including hitting a homerun in game seven of the World Series against the Cleveland Indians/Guardians. It can be said that under him the Cubs got rid of their core of Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, Wilson Contreras and Javier Baez. They weren't winning and the only one who ended up on a winning team was Rizzo with the Yankees. Can we say that is "Rossy's" fault? I don't know but one trend I did see under him was the team would start off looking like they're going to compete in a bad division where the Cubs ended up in second place and still end up missing the playoffs. 

Too many times I've seen Chicago players leave Chicago and end up on a team from the division. It is funny to see a division rival come here. I didn't think it would be Craig Counsell who I remember from his playing days in Milwaukee. And it took him several years for the Brew Crew to become relevant under him. And then he dominated a bad division except the years the Cardinals made things interesting while the Brewers slapped the Cubs around. 

I do think David Ross has a right to be angry. He's finally given players to win with and a minor league system that is ranked in the top 5 in baseball. And he has one season with this on his side. Unfortunately after having a three game lead for the second wild card they choked. This has to be the reason they chose to remove him. Not to say he wouldn't have dominated going forward but the Cubs felt they had to take this chance on Counsell. I must say that Counsell has not really fared any better then Ross other than having the players to make the playoffs. 

Since joining the division the Brewers have been a thorn in the Cub's side. I can remember '07 when the Brewers started the season with a nine game lead. These were the Ryan Braun days. The cheater Ryan Braun. But they languished long enough for the Cubs to come back and win the division. This is the way it went for several years until they finally became like the Packers owning the Bears. 

Milwaukee's success has been recent and never sniffing the World Series. It seems like we're trading one "Rossy" for another. Perhaps Ross didn't handle the pitchers well it has been said. And maybe a few other mistakes but sports is all about the bottom line and when you have a chance to make the playoffs after management gave you more than they have in the past you have to take advantage. That is my opinion. There is no fact in that as I don't know what makes Counsell better than Ross.