Thank You, Chicago Bears

Now that we're almost one week removed from the NFC Championship Game, I think it's time for a thank-you note. No sarcasm, no snide comments toward the coaching staff and/or the front office (there'll be plenty of time for that later) - just a few words of thanks to my favorite pro football team.

I had ridiculously low expectations for the Bears this year, and even after their quick start I was only thinking they'd be a way to bridge the gap until Illini basketball started. But they kept overachieving right into a division title and within one game of the Super Bowl. Most importantly, their run into the postseason helped to distract me from Bruce Weber and his Bumbling Illini for an extra month.

So thank you, Chicago Bears, for a fun 2010 season, and let's hope for better things in 2011 (or whenever the lockout ends). And until then...