Bears Trade Down? It’s a matter of value

Aug 24, 2012; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Chicago Bears helmets during the second half against the New York Giants at Metlife Stadium. The Bears won the game 20-17 Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

I have two passions in life, writing and football.  The editors here at Bears Goggles On have given me the opportunity to fulfil both of them.  Yes, I’m the new guy. I won’t bore you all with a long winded biography, but let me say football has been my life since I was born. I grew up in a football family and have been around the game most of my life.

I admit, I have not always been a Bears fan. I grew up in Southern California, so as you can imagine, I was a Rams fan. That was back in the day of the Fearsome Foursome, Roman Gabriel and George Allen.  Over my life, I have lived in many places and always stayed true to the Rams until 1995, when they left Tinseltown.

Fortunately, I had moved to Chicago in the early 90’s and through my business I was able to meet the likes of Gayle Sayers, Jeff Fisher, Dave Duerson and Walter Payton.  I felt privileged to have met them and enjoyed the time they afforded me. However, I was still not a fan. I watched the Bears but was rather tepid at best. That all changed when I met Mike Ditka.

I was in Dallas for a client dinner, and my firm arranged to have Da Coach speak to the gathering and have dinner with us.  What impressed me the most about Dikta was his generosity and kindness.  As revered as he is in Chicago, it is the same in Dallas.  He signed autographs willingly, and spoke to each person as if they were the only one in the room.

What sealed my fate as a Bears fan, was at the end of the evening, Mike was leaving for the airport to catch a flight back to Chicago. I too was heading back that night and he graciously offered me a ride in his limo. The ride itself was uneventful he lit up a cigar and asked me questions about my past.  As we boarded the plane, Ditka offered  me to sit with him in First Class. The plane was almost empty so I took full advantage of it.

Over the next two hours, the Coach answered questions about football, talked about Misercordia and his family. I noticed he was wearing his Hall of Fame ring, and I asked him, what was more important, winning the Super Bowl or induction into the Hall of Fame? He never hesitated, it was winning the Super Bowl. It wasn’t about him, as he said, it was the collective goal of 50+ men, executing every week to achieve the pinnacle of their careers. It was about the team.  Right then I became a Bears fan! and have been ever since.

So that is enough about me, let’s get on with the topic at hand.  We all know the Bears hold the 14th spot in the first round. As they say, that is great real estate.  If the Bears did nothing they will get an outstanding pick right there. However, Phil Emery made the comment at  the Combine he would be willing to trade down if the value was there.