Brian's Song: Thoughts on Urlacher's Departure from Chicago

There haven’t been a lot of times in my life as a Chicago sports fan where a truly paradigm shifting athlete has been let go by a team I love. Jeremy Roenick getting traded by the Blackhawks was one of those moments. The Cubs letting Kerry Wood leave was another. On Thursday, another roster move made its way into that rarified air, as the Bears announced that they would not be bringing back Brian Urlacher.

Ever since the Bears drafted him in 2000, it has been an absolute joy watching him play football. Whether it was his penchant for interrupting plays with his lightning quick reflexes, or his touchdown that he scored on a fake field goal against the Washington Redskins, or even that image of him hoisting the NFC Championship trophy at a snowy Soldier Field, there are so many memories that I will carry of Urlacher even after today’s announcements.

Despite these big time moments in my sports viewing life, this is a day that I will remember with more acceptance than either of the two other moves I mentioned in the opening to this post. When Roenick was dealt by the Blackhawks, it was just another reminder that “Dollar Bill” Wirtz was out to only make a quick buck and didn’t give a flying crap about Hawks fans, so there was plenty of animosity there. When the Cubs announced that they weren’t bringing back Wood, despite his expressing a desire to stay, it amounted to much the same thing: looking at an organization whom I felt was being disloyal to someone who embodied what fans feel about their role with the franchise: undying loyalty to Cubbie blue.

With Urlacher, however, the emotions I’m feeling are way less ones of anger and more of “well, it’s about time.” Urlacher’s frequent injuries and random attacks against fans and the media had me fed up with him to a degree, so today’s announcement is viewed more through a prism of what is good for the football team, as opposed to “what does this mean for me as a fan?”

Would it have been nice to see Brian retire as a Chicago Bear? Absolutely, but the fact of the matter is that Urlacher wasn’t destined to go out on top like Ray Lewis did with the Baltimore Ravens this year. Instead, he was going to be a much less vital cog in a brand new system that Marc Trestman and company will be employing this year, and to watch him be an after-thought instead of one of the greatest middle linebackers in league history is insulting not only to him, but also to the memories that I hold in my heart of #54.

Even though it will be incredibly odd to see Urlacher running onto the field next year, whether it’s Minneapolis or Seattle, the memories I have of his 13 years with the Bears will remain fond. They could have easily been jaded and dampened, just like Michael Jordan’s were during his ill-advised comeback attempt with the Washington Wizards, but instead he will join the pantheon of guys like Ryne Sandberg and so many others who I view favorably as I continue to get a bit more gray hair on my scalp.

Good luck to you Brian, and I look forward to seeing you continue your career, even though it won’t be in the Windy City. 

Is Barack Obama Really Person of the Year?

In what is perhaps one of the most overhyped stories of the year, Time Magazine named their 2012 Person of the Year on Wednesday. With all of the compelling stories that happen on a yearly basis, there are always going to be plenty of candidates to choose from, but this year’s winner ended up being President Barack Obama. It marks the second time that he has captured the honor (the magazine seems to have a thing about calling it an “award”), having also done so in 2008 when he became the first African-American elected President.

Newtown Shooting: Obama Speaks, And a Coda on Mental Health

"No matter how much you love these kids, you can’t do it by yourself, that this job of keeping our children safe and teaching them well is something we can only do together, with the help of friends and neighbors, the help of a community and the help of a nation.

“And in that way we come to realize that we bear responsibility for every child, because we’re counting on everybody else to help look after ours, that we’re all parents, that they are all our children.”

Newtown Shooting: The Time for Action Is Now

Normally, I try to avoid using first person pronouns whenever I write up a blog post, but today, I feel compelled to abandon that practice. Rather than writing as someone who is potentially practicing for a future career as a journalist, I am writing today as a citizen not only concerned for the future of our country, but also concerned about the state of the world that I am likely going to be bringing children into within the next few years.

Great Performances, Timely Reminders Make Lincoln an Instant Classic

Around this time of year, you are going to inevitably get an influx of movies that are designed with only one purpose in mind: gaining Oscar nominations and wins for their stars and directors. A few years back, you had "Atonement", a movie that wouldn't have found release at any other time of year. You have also had movies like "Dreamgirls" (Eddie Murphy) and "Push: A Novel by Sapphire" (Mo'Nique) that featured comedians dirtying themselves up for dramatic effect in an effort to win statuettes.

Papa John's Stance Against Obamacare: Worthy of Praise or Derision?

Ever since President Barack Obama was re-elected to a second term last Tuesday, we have been getting all sorts of reactions from those who opposed his candidacy. Whether it is the slew of secession petitions that have flooded official White House websites, or people like Charles Krauthammer and Rush Limbaugh who seem to think that the Republican Party need only tweak one or two things to right their ship, you have seen the gamut run from smug confidence to full blown panic among Obama’s opponents.

Future and Past Blend for a Great Ride in "Skyfall"

Author's Note: When I first created this blog earlier this year, I did so with the intention of flexing the various writing tools in my arsenal. Movie reviews were supposed to be part of the gig, but this is actually my first one, so I beg and plead with you to be open with criticism, but also forgive me if the piece isn't exactly a great piece of writing. :) 

Before Daniel Craig took over the role of James Bond in 2006’s “Casino Royale”, the common assumption about Bond was that he was a globe-trotting, martini swilling, gun firing debonair with a passion for women, fast cars, and always getting the mad genius that he was after. Whether it was Sean Connery or Pierce Brosnan, the character of Bond was about cleaning up nicely and dressing to the nines.