Bears

Charlie Lane, head janitor at Halas Hall, was finishing his day of work late Monday afternoon when he heard on the radio that the team had traded Thomas Jones to the New York Jets. The news didn't surprise Lane, who knew the move was another way for the team to save a few dollars, just as was the team's decision earlier in the day to slap the janitor with the vaunted franchise tag, keeping him from performing maintenance at other buildings in the Lake Forest area.

Since losing Super Bowl XLI, Bears fans have been clamoring for the team to give head coach Lovie Smith a contract extension. General manager Jerry Angelo's compensation was also not appropriate for the leader of a Super Bowl team. The Bears were taking a beating in the papers, being labeled as a cheap, second-class team. Wednesday they ponied up. Sort of.

In the last two years, Ron Rivera has interviewed for nine head coaching positions and has been passed over every time. Taking note of the league's distain for Rivera, the Bears have also taken a pass on their defensive coordinator of the last three seasons and have unexpectedly decided not to renew Rivera's expiring contract.

After the Bears won Super Bowl XX, free agent linebacker Wilber Marshall left to take more money with the Washington Redskins. The move was the first of many in the demise of the Super Bowl champs. It could be déjà vu for Bears fans as a key linebacker of the 2006 Bears is on the verge of leaving Chicago via free agency.

Two days after Super Bowl XLI, Chicagoans have shown great support for their Bears, despite the team's losing effort. This emotion was misguided Tuesday as a crowded gathering to greet the Bears players and coaches gave a glowing reception to the wrong incoming flight and accidentally greeted the city's smarmier side.

The revolving door known as the Dallas Cowboys head coaching position is hitting close to Chicago. Bears defensive coordinator Ron Rivera flew to Dallas Tuesday to interview with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones for the team's vacant head coaching spot.

Despite a glorious run to Super Bowl XLI and playing defense like a pack of crazed dogs for much of the season, Bears' middle linebacker and tackling freak Brian Urlacher admits he expects to see a much different look to the defensive starting lineup in 2007.