Grit, Guts, & Glorious Winners

Devin Hester knows how to play football. Really well. Unfortunately, Devin Hester plays for the Chicago Bears, a single-A baseball team miscast into the NFL.

Considering these laws of reality, one might be a bit perplexed at the team’s course of action leading to the current situation in Chicago. The Bears, realizing their own offensive ineptitude, (rightly) want Hester to continue playing for them. They also want Hester in a more prominent position on their offense, at receiver. This makes sense; as Hester excels in just about all of the areas that qualify a person for playing wide receiver.

However, the Bears don’t want to pay him anything more than they already are. The Bears want to keep Hester on their team, also expanding his role, while paying him far less than ESPN pays Rick Reilly to “report” on “sports.” Does this make sense to anyone? This is a guy who can return failed field goal attempts for touchdowns.

But, no. The Bears do not appreciate that ability. They would rather try to win a game of points solely under the power of their defense than keep players with insanely high ceilings happy. So, Hester hasn’t reported to camp.

I think Hester made the right move. The Bears show that they undervalue him by refusing to secure him with a long term deal. And what choice does he really have? He’s still under his rookie deal. He is pretty limited in his choices related to his contract.

He can skip camp in an effort to push the Bears into offering him what he’s worth, or he can…well, do nothing else, really. If he gives in to the Bears without a new agreement, he risks injury in camp. He’s making the choice any player with great potential ought to in this situation, if his or her head sits straight.

In spite of this, Hester’s absence SHOCKED the Bears organization today. Other facts that shocked the team today: football requires a quarterback, you can generate light using electricity, and the Earth orbits around the sun.

Hester’s action also caught various Chicago Tribune writers by surprise. Some seem hurt, others might even be a little offended! This caused them to say a few stupid things:

Hester wasn’t done sounding ungrateful and stupid: “I’m like this — it’s not worth it to show up.”

To be charitable, Hester is not the most accomplished public speaker, nor does he seem like a guy who rejected a Rhodes scholarship in order to play in the NFL.

Subtle racism is courtesy of Steve Rosenbloom. Steve Rosenbloom, everybody!

The Bears want to pay Hester as the top kick returner in the league, except that Hester wants to get paid like a top receiver, except he’s not a top receiver, except that he is a top receiver on this retch-inducing offense.

Steve seems a little confused. Hester averaged 15 yards per reception last season when he played as a receiver. Small sample size, yes, but that’s still pretty respectable.

Rosenbloom does get one thing right in his cantankerous hate. The Bears do want to only pay Hester as a top kick returner. However, he ignores everything Hester brings more to the receiver table beyond other returners at his pay grade. No, Steve Rosenbloom feels that Hester is just being “ungrateful.”

Steve Rosenbloom’s career day advice: be great at what you do, then do even more for the same amount of money, otherwise you’re ungrateful. And stupid.

Other writers at the Chicago Tribune describe Hester’s action as “ridiculous” and suggest the Bears trade him. Maybe after the trade Kyle Orton will gain his wings and become an actual quarterback. Or maybe the rules of football will suddenly alter, allowing only defensive players to score points. Yes, the Bears will be a great team, if only they trade Hester!

It really makes me sad to see the day when Jay Mariotti writes something that makes sense. Thanks a lot, Chicago Tribune and the Bears, you’ve probably brought about the end of the world or something.

In other news, Ryan Grant may not show up at camp without a new agreement. This tactic is ridiculous, stupid, and ungrateful. I think the Packers should trade him immediately.