You are Loved and Missed Grandpop.

Thanksgiving 2012 

Two weeks ago today, our beloved Grandpop passed away. My sisters and I spoke on behalf of our family at the service. I was proud of what we wrote together as it was truly a group effort to do our best to convey just how much he is loved and missed. The love, prayers, and outpouring of support (and sweets!) have certainly be felt and appreciated by our whole family. He will be forever in our hearts, and I trust we will all be together again. 

Intro (Denise):

We want to thank everyone for being here today – it is clear to see how much our grandfather was loved. Since he epitomized living life to the fullest, we wanted to take this opportunity to celebrate him by sharing some of our family’s memories and collective life lessons.

Sweets (Steph):

One of the important life lessons Grandpop taught everyone was how to access that extra compartment in your stomach meant especially for sweets.  When you thought you were too full from a great steak dinner, one always had room for dessert.  From the dixie cups full of M&Ms, the handfuls of Werthers in the Buick, to the ice cream Sundaes, and Mondays, and Tuesdays... We are sorry to say that the rummage sale will be less one pile of shirts because of the inevitable spill of Hershey's syrup down the front.  In his words, "How'd that get there?"

One of our favorite family memories is the elaborate gingerbread houses that Grandmom and Grandpop made each holiday season.  They were filled with MnMs and decorated to the brim with candy.  To this day, each Thanksgiving visit has no less than 100 gingerbread men decorated and ready to be eaten.  Thanksgiving dinner in our family is an event to envy, from the amazing stuffing to the perfectly carved turkey, Grandmom and Grandpop know how to do it right.  If you stopped and looked in their freezer right now, there's enough meat to last a lifetime.  Being a butcher from an early age, Grandpop was incapable of passing up a good looking piece of meat while completing one his favorite pastimes, a trip to the grocery store.  I think we can all recall an endless conversation with him about a favorite recipe or local restaurant.

He Knew How to Live Life to the Fullest (Laurie):

Our Grandpop retired at 55 and has encouraged us all to do the same. Since most of us will not be lucky enough to follow that lead, the life lesson regardless is that he knew how to live life to the fullest.

Grandmom and Grandpop introduced us to musical theater by taking us to see shows at the Music Box Playhouse, starting with Children's Theater (to this day though, Stephanie is afraid of Rumpelstiltskin and was not willing to take a picture with him) and later dinner shows such as Meet Me in St. Louis, A Christmas Carol, and Grandpop's favorite, ShowBoat. In fact, we were even known to arrive an hour before the theater staff - just to be sure we were not late.

In addition to being timely, we were all taught the rules and etiquette of bowling and miniature golf. I can hit the proper arrow on a bowling lane, but after that, the ball still does its own thing. We also know how to address the golf ball, and to not stand behind the person swinging the club. In spite of years of trying, none of the grandchildren ever did beat Grandpop.

In this spirit, Grandpop taught us all that it's not about the winning, it's the fun had while doing it. Grandpop loved to "deal" a winning hand to the youngest at the table just to see the pure joy on their faces when they realized they had an instant corner in Pit or the elusive and lucrative 8-9-10 of the same suit in Michigan Rummy. The looks on our faces in those moments were still recounted years later many times over.

There is no way to count the number of days we have all spent at Knobels Amusement Park over the years. When we first started going Grandmom would ride the little roller coaster, laughing that infectious laugh and Grandpop would join us for the teacups - helping us to spin our cup as hard as possible. Then they would both join us on the bumper cars - making sure we all got to bump each other as went around the track. Grandpop would usually let out a whoa or gotcha! As the years went by they were both content to follow us around the park, glad to see the grandchildren enjoying themselves even if they were no longer able to participate. Don't worry, we all enjoyed a funnel cake (or two) together. It always seemed that whenever Grandmom and Grandpop were walking or sitting on a bench together that they were holding hands...

Intangibles (Denise):

Our Grandpop had a great number of “intangibles” that modeled to his children and grandchildren how to have a good laugh, to be virtuous, moral, thoughtful and kind-hearted. As he used to say, “Grandpop knows everything.”

He was a devoted husband, father, uncle, and grandfather. His love for his family was transparent, especially for Grandmom throughout their 64 years of marriage. Our Aunt Alice recalls a time when she was walking the dogs with Laurie and it began to rain; Grandpop got right in his car and drove around the neighborhood until he found them.

While that day may have been about the rain, he never needed an excuse to go out for a drive. Perhaps it was his uncanny ability to find the best parking spots everywhere we went, always telling us that they knew he was coming or that they have saved the best for us. He also had a special attachment to his 1993 Buick with an ultimate goal of 200,000 miles. The car now sits at 185,000, and we are trying to figure out how to drive “that boat” the remaining distance. The Buick also had a remote control that was a rare commodity at the time, and to the grandchildren, the car had a magical trunk that would open upon Grandpop’s command or with a wave of his hand.

Grandmom and Grandpop also made a special effort to be with us whenever possible, whether it was on our college campuses, at Grandparent’s Day, or the Ferry Stop on Cape May as a surprise for Scott and Kurt, they always went the extra mile (as there were many miles between us) to spend time with their family.  

Conclusion:

For these and so many other life lessons and memories, we want to say “thank you,” in which our Grandpop would not have said “You’re Welcome” but instead responded with “You’re Velcome.”

As a tribute to our wonderful Grandfather, we ask that you all go home and make yourself a nice, big ice cream “Tuesday.”

Okay God, Olly Olly Oxen Free!

Lately I have found myself thinking a lot about the game hide and go seek. I still remember a few really good hiding places that my family would use, and there is one particular game that has been sticking out in my mind. I was "it," I had found my sisters, and then the three of us starting looking for our Mom. At the time it felt like a really long time, and so finally we gave up. It must have been a respectable amount of time because she did come out after a few pleas. When she came to us we asked her where she had been hiding, but she would not tell. It was clearly a really good spot, and she wanted to be able to use it again. You know to this day, I still have no idea where she was hiding. Our house was not huge, and when there were three teenage girls living in the house it felt REALLY small! So where in the world could she have been?

I don't know that in our games we ever called, "olly olly oxen free;" but lately I have been trying to use that concept with God as I am having trouble seeing his/her plan in all that is swirling around me. I have too much faith to think that I have been forsaken, I just think s/he is doing a really good job of hiding right now. Just like I knew my Mom had not really vanished, I know God is still there somewhere. Sometimes I find myself wondering why things cannot be a little more clear, just a little bit easier.

I cannot provide specifics, but let's just say that things around me are feeling like that notion that at times the "truth is stranger than fiction." In my nearly (two days shy) 32 years on this earth, God has always led me to the place where I was supposed to be and helped through me some pretty ridiculous stuff. So I do trust that everything will work out in God's time, not mine. 

So until it becomes more clear, I am going to keep playing the game knowing that one day God will appear as my Mom did during that rather intense game of hide and go seek. 

Until then, if you hear me saying "olly, olly oxen free," please know I am just trying to understand what the greater plan is for my current craziness. 

I Had a Fever, Just Never Broncos Fever

For much of the month of January I was down for the count with a flu/sinus infection. My fever went as high as 101.1 - which considering I usually hover around 97.1 that was kind of a big deal. If I had paid anything for my flu shot, I would have asked for a refund. Stupid sickness, ain't nobody got time for that!

While I did not choose to be physically sick, I could have chosen to catch "Broncos Fever." 

I am still trying to figure out Denver as a "Sports Town." Granted, I spent much of my life to date in two of the toughest sports towns in the country; so my outlook is a bit skewed. First, there was Philadelphia, hello they booed Santa Claus, and next came Chicago. While my "sports" heart still remains in the Windy City; even I can say, damn! The fans and media have high expectations for our teams, and heaven help those players and coaches if those expectations are not met. The irony there on the baseball front is one would think years of losing baseball on the North-side would have prepared people, but still they have this unfounded hope that the Cubs will have a consistent ability to win. 

In spite of all the years I lived in Chicago or Philadelphia, I was never actually technically living there to experience the thrill and excitement around a team making a run for the Championship. While I celebrated from a distance the White Sox and Phillies winning the World Series, and the Bears going to the Super Bowl; it was just not the same.

So from that standpoint, I enjoyed the emotional high that Denver was riding with the Broncos, to a point. I will admit that I tired of hearing analysts make the same point, even if perhaps they used different words every now and again. With a two week hiatus between the Conference championships and the Super Bowl there was not an aspect of the game that was dissected ad nauseam (except perhaps the actual outcome - which I assure you no one actually foresaw). While I understand this fact is not unique to this Super Bowl, it was further exacerbated by the additional coverage on the local Denver stations.

I have a friend who graduated from the University of Tennessee, and so he had a connection to Peyton when he became a Bronco. So Brian started rooting for the Broncos in addition to the Buffalo Bills - honestly, he is the only Bills fan I have ever met in my life. He also roots for the Phillies and the Washington Capitals in hockey. He trumps me in terms of suspect allegiances. So what is my point? I asked him a few weeks ago whether he will continue to root for the Broncos once Peyton retires? His answer, yes; as he now feels as though he has expended enough emotional energy that he plans continue to root for the Broncos. Finally! Someone understands my feeling of emotional energy and the toll it can take on a sports addict.

Thus far 2014 has not been my best year, and I have been feeling down in the dumps quite a bit. I found myself wondering, aside from Brian's affirmation, whether there really was any credence to my theory of emotional sports energy. And if there is, did I lose it somewhere along the way? Well, last Sunday morning I watched the second half (and subsequent overtime) of the Duke-Syracuse game. I knew the outcome because I had forgotten that I had set the recording earlier in the week. I KNEW THE OUTCOME is the key to that statement, not my forgetfulness. In spite of this fact, I still found myself energized by Duke's play against the second ranked team in the country. This iteration of the Duke basketball team has been hard to watch at times, although Jabari Parker sure is fun while he stays, but man did the Blue Devils ever come to play that night in the Carrier Dome, no less! This is Syracuse's first year as part of the ACC, and I trust that this rivalry is going to be fun to watch for years to come. 

So fear not my faithful readers and fellow sports addicts. I still "got the passion" - it just went into hibernation along with my energy level. Stupid flu. I honestly think that the disappointing end to the Bears season, combined with my frustration at the ridiculous contract that Jay Cutler was given really took the football life out of me. Then I took on two "bandwagon playoff teams" (Carolina Panthers and Indianapolis Colts), and when they each lost there went this season of football for me.

In an effort not to get kicked out of the City of Denver, as I do love living here, I want to be clear that I was rooting for the Broncos. I truly wanted them to win. I just could not yell and scream at the TV with legitimacy. I assure you though, Danny took care of that for the both of us. Poor Spike was terrified for much of that evening. I even tried to comfort Danny in his time of sorrow, until the jerk reminded me that the Manning-led Colts beat my Bears for the Super Bowl. No more sympathy after that seeing as how my Bears' players were minding their own business from the comfort of their own homes.

So on the Monday following the unexpected outcome of the Super Bowl, I got to witness the Mile High City grieve. This is perhaps best captured by my dear friend who works for the History Colorado Museum...

Fear not, Denver, pitchers and catchers reported today for the start of Spring Training. Perhaps the Rockies will surprise us all!

The Spike Series: Oops! The Man (Almost) Did it Again!

Hi, people, Spike here. So, I almost did not get to communicate with you all today. You see, I don't like the cold probably even more than I dislike the white stuff. I absolutely refused to go outside this morning - no, really, Laurie could not even bribe me with a treat. Then when she got home, I took 20 minutes (she checked) to finally do my business. She told me if I did not do my thing, then I could not tell my story. 

So I went, and here I am! Not to talk about the cold, especially since it is not nearly as cold here as it is in other parts of the country, nor do I want to sing Britney Spears' songs. Instead, I want to talk about how the Man almost sabotaged his Colts over the weekend Ala the  Broncos - Patriots game disaster of Thanksgiving.  

Do you see the picture? Aside from the fact that I look extra cute, I am wearing the wrong team's hat! Don't let the Man tell you he was trying to protect me from the cold as Laurie has one just like it with the proper team on it. You see, Laurie slept through much of the Colts - Chiefs game on Saturday afternoon. She was pretty tired, and I was super sad because my grandparents (Laurie's parents) had left the day before. So as a punishment for her nap, the Man tried to switch my allegiances AGAIN - this time to the little horse team (the Colts vs. the big horse team, the Broncos). 

When Laurie awoke sometime during the third quarter the Colts were down, 38-10 to which she asked the Man, "what's up with your team?" His response, "the Colts only seem to have bad 'Luck' on their side." Shortly thereafter, however, the Colts went on a crazy run overcoming one o f the largest deficits in playoff history to win 45-44. Here is a picture from the Kansas City Star newspaper:

What does this all this have to do with the Man and my unfortunate quoting of the Britney Spears song? Well, when Laurie suggested to the Man that my adorable picture should be his Facebook profile picture, the truth came out that the Colts went on their unfortunate downward slide shortly after the Man put the hat on my head! It was after he took it off, that the Colts turned things around! 

While Laurie had high hopes that after the outcome of the Broncos game that the Man would learn not to mess with my sports allegiances! Even though the Bears blew their playoff chances, I will remain a fan of the Bears for as long as Laurie does, which should be forever. Although, truth be told, she is still contemplating which team will be her, "the Bears did not make the playoffs, so she needs a bandwagon team for the duration." It may be the Colts, as that Andrew Luck kid sure is fun to watch... 

Still, don't mess with me, Man! I have powers beyond your understanding! Until next time, stay warm, everybody!

Football Friday from On Her Game - Three Days Before Christmas, my Bears gave to me a BIG LUMP OF COAL

This post for Football Friday for On Her Game is something of a rant because the Bears have squandered yet another golden opportunity. One they really did not deserve based on their inconsistent play of this season. I had such high hopes for the game, and then I found that truth be told, I slept through much of it. While I have been fighting off some kind of end of the year sickness/exhaustion, I think this was more of a defense mechanism, hoping that the game on the TV was just a bad dream. No dice - it was a true nightmare.

On this Sunday evening, three days before Christmas, the stage was set for the Bears to win the NFC North thus securing a spot in the playoffs. The Lions had been eliminated following an overtime loss to the Giants, and the Packers by virtue of their tie with the Vikings would find themselves on the outside looking in if the Bears could just beat the Eagles in Philadelphia. Of course this would not be an easy win as the defense in Chicago has left much to be desired, and the offense in Philadelphia under first year head coach, Chip Kelly has found its rhythm led by second year quarterback, Nick Foles.

Still, NBC snatched up this game for its Sunday Night coverage under the flex-scheduling option; seemingly under the impression that this game was going to be competitive and relevant to the playoff picture. At least the latter was true, even though the Bears seemed oblivious to the fact that this game meant everything to them and absolutely nothing to their opponent in regards to playoff implications.

Following the disastrous ending to the game against the Vikings, I thought for sure the air had completely gone out of the Bears playoff hopes. I had mentally moved on to next season, which is pretty typical for a Bears fan at this point in the season. Yet, the Lions could not seem to pull away, so there was still a flicker of hope. The flame, albeit small, seemed to be stomped out by the Eagles faster than one can light a match as they jumped out to a 21-0 lead before the first quarter had even ended. Of course the final score of 54-11 was even more abysmal.

Melissa Isaacson of ESPN.com and the Chicago Tribune wrote, “when shortly after you get started, your team looks like a group of toddlers in the middle of rush-hour traffic. Ironically, Cutler pointed to the Eagles as an example of a team gathering itself after an embarrassing loss.

"They just had our number. It's going to happen across the NFL," he (Cutler) said. "These guys went to Minnesota last week and had a similar game [losing 48-30], and then they bounced back pretty well.

"Nothing says we can't play well next week."

Actually, Jay there is a lot to say that next week may not go very well either. First of all, the Vikings who have struggled all season to be relevant, beat the stuffing out of the Eagles. Yet, the Bears defense gave up 514 total yards amidst a game that ranked as Isaacson went on to say, “the worst game in Bears franchise history in touchdowns allowed (seven), the second-worst in points allowed and, especially considering what they had to play for, their worst overall showing in recent memory.”

Rather than finishing your playoff business a week ahead of time, the Packers who will more than likely be led by Aaron Rodgers will be coming into Soldier Field on the last game of the season to battle it out for the division title. If this eerily familiar, let’s go back to 2010 when the Bears had the division title and the number two NFC seed secured, but the Packers were trying to squeak their way in to the playoffs as the six seed. Well the Packers did more than just make it into the playoffs, they won the Super Bowl that year.

Do I think that the Packers will win the Super Bowl this season? Absolutely not. Do I think the NFC North deserves to have a representative in the playoffs? Not really. I would actually prefer to temporarily move the Arizona Cardinals in to the North so that the division can be well represented as I think that team is the most deserving of all the potential “on the outside looking in teams.”

Until next Sunday, I will try to figure out a way to block this gift of coal from my memory and root hard for my Bears on Sunday against the Pack. Let’s hope the Bears can find their cheese graters again between now and then. I will also hope that I can keep Jim Mora’s voice out of my head – “What’s that? Ah — Playoffs? Don’t talk about — playoffs?You kidding me? Playoffs? I just hope we can win a game! Another game.”

Ten on Tuesday: 10 Things that are Zapping my Energy

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My Ten on Tuesday series is back as I try to apply a yoga principle to my daily life, during final relaxation (one of the few times my mind will slow down), we are encouraged to acknowledge thoughts that float through our heads, and then let them go. My hope is by acknowledging these energy zappers that I can go in to 2014 with a fresh, clear mind ready to have a really good year. Plus as I sit here I get to look back at my beautiful Christmas tree - which finally went up this past weekend - and that brings me a certain level of peace.

• Being a Bears fan (and trying to write about it). I aspire to write each week during the football season. Sometimes though I don't have the energy or desire. That needs to be okay. Not to mention the way I was yelling at the television yesterday during the Bears-Browns game it cannot be good for my blood pressure. A friend on Facebook wrote that smoking unfiltered cigarettes may be better for his health than rooting for the Bears. As much as cigarette smoking is not something to joke about, I do have to wonder if he is not right... This week's post - "In Chicago a Win that did not feel like a Win"

• Nasty-grams. I can only hope that you do not receive nasty-grams (mean spirited emails). They sure do not feel good. The irony of some nasty-grams that I receive is that the amount of time and energy that went in to writing said nasty-gram probably took more time than doing what I asked in the first place. Also, I want to make it clear that while I voted for President Obama, Health Care Reform is not actually my fault.

• Entitlement. Webster's Dictionary defines entitlement: "the feeling or belief that you deserve to be given something (such as special privileges)"
• Being born in 1982 I overlap between Gen X and Gen Y, but as a child of baby boomers, I probably fall more into the Gen Y category. Anyway, quite often my generation is characterized as entitled. We were given trophies for participation, not spanked enough, and just want everything handed to us. 
• I do not like the word entitlement, nor the concept, but man when it smacks you in the face, it's easy to recognize. I wish I knew where the feeling comes from as I think that would help me know how to combat it. I do not expect anything to be handed to me; I believe that I was taught to work for what I have/want. My parents did a tremendous amount for my sisters and me in an effort to give us all the opportunities to succeed as adults. I want to succeed by working hard and smart. In the spirit of true honesty though, I sure did like my trophies because I was not particularly athletic enough to "earn one," and the things I did participate in with any skill did not tend to give trophies.

• Wanderlust. I like to go places, especially ones that I have never been. Each place I visit, I enjoy picturing myself there for an extended period of time. Danny and I have set down roots here in Colorado, and I really enjoy living here. I just find myself itching to do something different and/or go someplace new. Since no travels are planned until May, I am looking for more attainable solutions. For instance, I am taking ukulele lessons, continuing to read new magazines thus learning new things, and trying to explore my new home town of Lakewood and beyond.

• Varied Priorities. I cannot control anyone's priorities except my own. I have come to accept that when I say I do not have the money or the time to do x, y, or z, it is because I have chosen to do something else. I am trying to make a more conscious decision about what truly is a priority in my life.

• Fear of being a Helicopter Parent. The "helicopter parent" is definitely another phenomenon of my generation. I definitely grew up with kids whose parents fit the mold before the phrase was coined. I am not the child of helicopter parents, thank goodness. My parents would step in when needed, for instance my Dad fought to get me into the honor's English program after I agreed to sign a waiver saying that I would more than likely not succeed. Yea for supportive educators! My Mom came to my defense against an over-bearing, albeit well-meaning instructor who was hampering my spirit and enthusiasm for the activity. Still, when I screwed up (which I often did and do), it was expected that I would accept the consequences, and work to fix it next time.
  
  I am absolutely a helicopter parent when it comes to the Spike-Monster. He is a special needs doggie, and I am very, very protective of his eye. For goodness sake, he only has one! Plus I promised his foster parents when I adopted him that I would take good care of him, and he is a favorite of his eye doctor. I feel a strong sense of responsibility to give this little guy a good life. I am not going to cripple Spike's emotional development in the process, though. I would not be doing any future Pechie-children a service by treating them the way I treat Spike.
  
  Danny and I have no immediate plans to have kids, but I was recently asked if I think that he and I will be good parents. Holy cow! The question leads me to believe this person doubts my ability, which is not at all helpful.

• Planner vs. Non-Planner. Versus is such a strong word, and not at all my intention. It is just two very different personalities, each of which have their place. It is just really hard for me when people who know that I am a planner completely invalidate me by dismissing any plans I try to make - sometimes it is okay to plan something in advance. It won't hurt you, I promise. At the same time though, it is important for me to work at being more spontaneous.

• My commute. When Danny and I bought our home in Lakewood, we knew on a practical level that our commute was going to double in terms of mileage and time. Yet, it's easy to know without understanding. There is no way to sugar coat it, more often than not, my commute stinks. The biggest frustration is people's inability to merge or allow others to merge. While very few people are actually from Colorado, once you have lived here a while you transfer your license plate, thus blending in. I really wish I could pin point a particular state or state(s) that do not teach people this basic driving function so I can write a nasty-gram of my own  to their DMV.
  
  I am trying to incorporate books on tape to my routine in an effort to not be homicidal by the time I arrive at the office. This comes at the recommendation of a psychologist that I greatly respect as he also has a long daily commute. So far I have done two, and it works well. The constant stream of stimulus seems to provide a healthy diversion that allows me to focus on something other than the time or the yahoo who would not let me in the right lane.

• Over-commitment. When I was visiting with my Grandparents over Thanksgiving I texted Danny at one point that he was really screwed in the respect that I have women on both sides of my family who are incapable of sitting down. My Dad and I arrived earlier than everyone else with the hope that we could be helpful to my grandparents. One of the tasks that we wanted to take on was making the meals. This really helped in my quest for domesticity, plus it was something I could handle (spaghetti). My Grandmom really wanted to do it. So I finally told her that my Dad had told me it was my responsibility. She asked if I did not do it was there was a chance he would put me over his knee. I said, yes. Even though there was no chance of that happening, it still worked - she supervised me, and I avoided a potentially embarrassing situation considering I am one of his grown, married daughters.
  
  I strive to be everything to everybody. I really need to work at finding balance - which is actually the topic of this month's Real Simple magazine (of which I am a big fan). The editor wrote something that I found very helpful, "I believe that balance is less about circumstance and more about perspective."
  
  I need to find the balance of doing the things I want to do with the things I have to do while still making time for myself, as well as the important people in my life.

• Unrealistic, Self-Imposed Deadlines. Sometimes I over-estimate my own abilities, or expect that everything that needs to happen is going to fall in to place. I think this falls into the category of me "looking for things to worry about." I am trying to be more realistic about how long something is going to take - I want to be sure that something is done well rather than just getting crossed off the list. Nothing I do is ever going to be perfect, but I can strive for quality each and every time in its own time - not my own stupid, often arbitrary deadline.

So why did I share all this nonsense with you? I am trying to shift my perspective to stop letting this ridiculousness zap my spirit and my energy. I am giving these ten things far too much power over my thinking. Danny recently compared my brain to a wide receiver running a route - constantly moving, constantly trying to be open for the pass (or in this case an epiphany or some such nonsense). While I cannot stop it, perhaps I can have more control over the play-call while still running the best possible route.

Football Friday from On Her Game - It's Time for the Bears to Use the Franchise Tag

http://flic.kr/p/hs9eRc

This post for Football Friday for On Her Game was my first post in a number of weeks. The game following Thanksgiving against the Vikings really tested my Bears "fandom,"  but then the team came back strong against the Cowboys scoring on every drive before taking a knee on the final play. While neither team had a defense to speak of, for once the Bears offense scored more points than their opponents. Who do they think they are the Manning-Led Colts of old?!

So here’s a new one, the Chicago Bears may have a controversial decision to make at the QUARTERBACK position for next season. Who would have ever thought it? Not this long-time Bears fan who at the beginning of Josh McCown’s time as the starter compared the position to a Merry-Go-Round  going so far as to say, where it stops nobody knows. If I knew when I wrote that post that McCown would be this week’s (or any week for that matter), NFC Offensive Player of the Week with, 348 passing yards, four passing touchdowns, one rushing TD, and a 141.9 QB  rating, I would have bitten my tongue!

Larry Mayer of the Chicago Bears News reported that, “McCown became the first Bears quarterback to account for five touchdowns in a game since Jack Concannon in 1972…”

In McCown’s fourth straight start following multiple injuries to Jay Cutler, McCown has a passer rating that ranks third in the NFL behind the Eagles’ Nick Foles and the Broncos’ Peyton Manning. When was the last time that a Bears quarterback was linked in a sentence with Peyton Manning that did not relate to Super Bowl XLI?

So rather than a Merry-Go-Round at the quarterback position, Marc Trestman may find himself in something of a quarterback quagmire. First, who starts on Sunday against Cleveland if Cutler is cleared to play, next what about the balance of this season since a playoff spot is still not out of the realm of possibility; and finally, what about next season? Trestman has been adamant that Cutler is the starting quarterback, but how can one argue with the success that the veteran McCown has had with this offense? As Jon Gruden said on the Monday Night Football broadcast after McCown flung himself over multiple Cowboys defenders for the rushing touchdown, “Don’t tell me this guy is a back-up quarterback, he just laid himself out there for this team!”

In my (not always so humble) opinion, enter the franchise tag option for Jay Cutler. Here I go, spending the Bears’ money again. Wikipedia states, “In the National Football League, the franchise tag is a designation a team may apply to one player scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent. The tag binds the player to the team for one year if certain conditions are met. It has been designed to reduce player movement (often to bigger markets) which is often evidenced in other major pro sports leagues. Usually reserved for players of great skill or of high importance to the team, a franchise tag allows a team's general manager the privilege of strategically retaining valuable free-agent players while seeking talent through the NFL draft or other acquisitions without exceeding the League's salary cap.”

While the Chicago media is clamoring for a longer term for Cutler because the franchise tag option would cost more money (a one-year contract for an amount no less than the average of the top five salaries at the player's position) as the Bears have a number of players to sign. Plus this would allow the Bears to look at the 2014 Draft for a quarterback of the future. Um, do they not remember players like Cade McNown, Rex Grossman, Curtis Enis, Rashann Salaam, etc. The Bears have not had the greatest history of picking offensive players in first couple rounds of the draft.

Before you tell me that I should give this new management and coaching staff an opportunity, what is wrong with keeping both McCown and Cutler for the immediate future, and taking the next couple years to wait for the right quarterback to come out of college? I am not sold on this year’s draft class of quarterbacks, but it could also be said I don’t watch enough college football to form such an opinion.

What the potential quarterback battle boils down for me is that in all this time Cutler has never become the player that I was so excited to have sign with the Bears. Although he seems to have lost the smirk that drove me crazy for multiple seasons, McCown has a strong arm with a good head on his shoulders, not to mention the maturity level of a veteran that Cutler has never exuded. I understand that McCown is a journey-man who is not the future of any franchise, but why should he not finish his career in Chicago? The franchise tag, while costing more money, would not tie the Bears to Cutler for an extended period of time unless they want him to be the quarterback to lead them to the promised land (aka the post-season). This is one of the most important decisions that General Manager Phil Emery is going to make in his tenure with the Bears – let’s only hope it turns out better than how the Urlacher situation turned out.

Regardless of whether you agree with my assessment of how to handle Cutler, I trust you can concede that Josh McCown has played hard enough to deserve some serious consideration! Seriously, did you see that rushing touchdown?