So, why then, is there so much negativity surrounding being a fan? Why do newspapers, sports radio, and television draw on the negative aspects of the sport more than the positive? Why are people like Skip Bayless, Jay Mariotti, Tony Kornheiser, and Steve Rosenbloom gainfully employed? What makes people feel good about trashing their team? I understand that it can be a defense mechanism, and that Chicagoans in particular are on their guard (especially Cubs fans such as yours truly). But why, when we have a 7-3 team in the middle of a potential playoff and Super Bowl run, does everyone jump ship? Isn’t week 12, when our team is tied for first place and about to take on a tough divisional rival, what we live for as fans? Shouldn’t Chicago, and thus the people covering the team, be filled with joyous anticipation for tomorrow?

Well, I am. I see a decisive Bears victory tomorrow, and here’s why:
Motivation. The Bears defense is focused and determined to prove that they are not what we saw in San Francisco. This defense is Super Bowl-ready, and the veterans know that the window is closing.
History. Even when the Bears have had awful teams, they usually manage to take care of business against Minnesota at home.
Injuries. Jay Cutler is back and Percy Harvin is out.
Coaching. Lovie Smith knows how to reach this team, and this has lead to many victories following disappointing losses.
Talent. The Bears outclass the Vikings at QB, WR, DE, DT, LB, CB, and S. Not to mention Special Teams.

It’s good to be back. If you have a choice between being positive and being negative, as a fan, doesn’t it just make you feel good to be positive? Bears 31 Vikings 13

And, thank God, Brett Favre is still retired.

Now the draft is approaching and the NFL has completely missed out on Free Agency, so while in most years teams have been able to address major needs with semi-mediocre cast offs from other teams, there has been no rebuilding of any kind and also no OTA’s or camps or fishing trips or…eh, you get the point.  So no teams have been able to make any kinds of improvements…unless you count the “addition by subtraction” kind of stuff.

Now, the only way teams will be able to improve, until the NFL and the players can figure out how to equitably split up their BILLIONS of dollars is the draft…which is just like it used to be before free agency.

Minnesota Vikings (#12)  Hey Vikes, you guys are picking before the Lions this year…that means you finished in the cellar…not us…sorry, I can’t help it.  So the Devil has finally retired, leaving the Vikings with a choice between Tavaris Jackson and Joe Webb at quarterback…I think that says enough right there.  Pick: QB (Most likely Jake Locker)

Detroit Lions (#13) Hey finishing second to last in your division is nothing to get excited about.  The Lions have a ton of needs to address still.  They currently do not have a single starting caliber cornerback or outside linebacker on their roster.  Their quarterback has finished on the IR in both of his NFL seasons…Pick: CB (Prince Amukamara)

Chicago Bears (#29) How did this team win the division? Did they ride their incredibly erratic punk quarterback?  Was it their geriatric defense?  Was it their porous offensive line?  What was the strength of this team?  Can somebody please explain this to me? Pick: OT (Derrek Sharrod)

Green Bay Packers (#32) Let me just say this, Aaron Rodgers’ whole “title belt” schpeel is ignorant.  Talk about dumb.  Does he want to be Hulk Hogan?  The Nature Boy Ric Flair?  Give me a break.  Be a quarterback, much to my chagrin, you’re pretty damn good at it.  Brandon Jackson, John Kuhn, Ryan Grant?  Your leading rusher went for 700 yards?  And somehow you won it all.  Amazing.  Pick: RB (Mark Ingram)

Today is finally on us.  It has been 14 long years for Packers fans and this season will go down as one of the greats.  Our coaches have us in position to bring home the Lombardi, our veterans have our team focused, the young guys have the talent to make the plays and us as fans believe in this team.  People have been spending the last two weeks making a case for what team will win.  With just hours to kick off none of that will matter.  In the end it will come down to what team wants it more.  After everything this team has had to deal with over the last few years, no way will they not show us one of the best performances in Packer history.  As nervous as I am I have no doubt that Green Bay wins this game.  You are going to see plays like Drivers touchdown run against the 49ers, plays like Tramon and Raji’s pick 6.  Aaron Rodgers WILL lead this team to a victory today.  Cheer hard today, you never know when we will have this chance again.  From the words of  The Great Charles Woodson, “WHITE HOUSE ON THREE”

My first Super Bowl memory was watching the Denver Broncos lose by the largest margin in big game history to Joe Montana and the San Francisco 49ers. I was at a rather large party and the TV still had dials on the front and the adults drank Miller High Life and smoked pot in the backyard. I was nine and the Super Bowl felt like the third biggest day of the year behind Christmas and my birthday. Shortly there after I began my torrid love affair with the NFL which culminated in my becoming a huge fan and a rather poor player of the game. LIFE IZ HARDZ SOMETIMES!!

Pittsburgh Steelers

Where do Steeler fans get this giant persecutory complex from? I do not understand this. They are the most successful franchise of the Super Bowl era and yet their fans act like they have never gotten the respect that they deserve. Where on earth does this come from? Is there anything worse than a Steeler fan? Really, I would rather have the HIV than root for Pittsburgh in anything. Even Cowboy fans at this point are easier to deal with at least as soon as the Cowboys start losing their fan base is immediately reduced by half. Steeler fan is completely fat….er spoiled, by high caloric foods. The Steelers have managed to stay relevant for most of the last four decades. Stop acting like you’re the underdog.

This years team has quite possibly the worst human in the NFL leading their team and somehow if Rapelisberger wins this game we are supposed to buy into the idea that this is redeeming and he is a good person after all. Winning fixes everything right? Lets follow this line of logic…..what if instead of trials we just had a competition? Perhaps a flag football game. This seems to be sound reasoning. So instead of calling this guy what he is, which is to say an arrogant sexual predator, we would rather call him CHAMPEEN and let him rub his gray penis all over our daughters. Fantastic.

Hines Ward is an asshole. Mike Tomlin is using Bill Cowher’s staff but nobody likes to talk about this forgotten fact. James Harrison is crazy and I like him for this. “Fine me for hitting people in the ear hole, fuck you I retire”! “President Obama, you want me to come to the White House because we won, invite me when we lose, fuck off I aint coming”! That is quality crazy mixed with the perfect amount of violence.

Oh the Rooneys. They cant have a black WR who smokes pot on their team but they will keep the Raper. Really does that not say everything you need to know about the NFL’s first family. The Rooney Rule? This is blatant racism. “NO CUZ DE BEN WIN DE GAMES DERP”.

And yet, how do you pick against that defense and a QB who pulls magic out of his offensive tackle sized rear end? Rothlisberger has a penchant for being great when it matters most on the football field and there is no doubt that Dick Lebeau will give Aaron Rodgers all he can handle.

Green Bay Packers

The Packers are the most successful franchise in the history of the NFL. They have one more NFL titles than any other franchise and the god damned Super Bowl Silver Penis Trophy is named after their famed head coach. The trophy really looks like the Silver Surfer’s dick. My experience with Packer fans is that they tend to be quiet and reserved, they do not tend to be as brash and in your face as Pittsburgh fans. Maybe it is because they are always eating or maybe people from Wisconsin still do not know how to speak. Just based on the ability to tolerate Packer fans I feel like they should have the edge in this game.

Aaron Rodgers is a good time. Seriously…….last year he was out watching the Vikings vs. Saints NFC Championship game and when Brittfar threw the inevitable interception that cost the Vikings a Super Bowl birth he climbed up on his table and started cheering wildly. Anyone who openly roots for the demise of a despised former coworker in such a public manner is alright by me. When that former coworker happens to be Brittfar, double alright and even a Fonzy “HEY”! Oh and Aaron Rodgers has not tried to rub his quarterback penis all over coeds, so that’s always a plus.

Casey Matthews and AJ Hawk are clearly enhanced. Look at their foreheads you could park the USS Nimitz on either one of them. Frank Zombo has the coolest name this side of God Shamgod. As a matter of fact I need a heavy dose of Zombo on Sunday. Charles Woodson is a first ballot HOFer with a win on Sunday and for the life of me I cannot think of another CB who has been more effective in creating havoc in the opponents game plan. And anyone who can root against Donald Driver does not have a heart.

The thing that will potentially kill the Packers is Oreo Boy Mike McCarthy. He really is an offensive genius but so much so that he tends to try and out think the room with fancy play calls. Its like when someone is anticipating the next move, than thinks that the other person has anticipated their anticipation and changes their mind five times until settling on some obscure play call. Sometimes the most obvious solution is best, Occam’s Razor and all.

Packers 34 Steelers 24

This is not some cosmic result to punish Rothlisberger or the Steelers fans for being so obnoxious. I think God has better shit to do than worry about our little NFL Championship. I really think that the Steelers will be betrayed by their week DBs. The Packers have an elite Quarterback and an elite receiving corps. I do not see any way that the Steelers can cover up for their lack of defensive help on the outside.

So enjoy all your Super Bowlin’. See you after the game.