Do NOT Let The Haters Get You Down About Ben Johnson Going To The Bears
The haters and losers and debbie downers were out in full force yesterday with the news of Ben Johnson coming to Chicago. I expected it from around the midwest and the larger league, but we had so many people in the family echoing that sentiment. I get it to a degree. We are battered. We are scarred. We've been fooled too many times to get fooled again. I am in that boat too. You won't catch me predicting playoffs and double digit wins next year. Fool me once shame on you. Fool me for like 30 years, shame on me.
I am not saying Ben Johnson is the savior. I am not predicting Super Bowls. I just want to acknowledge good things objectively when they happen. The Bears Head Coaching searches have been an absolute disaster going back to basically Dave Wannstedt. Think of all the missteps along the way. They lucked into Lovie after failing to get their top choice. John Fox. Trestman. Then because they lost faith in their own ability to hire coaches because the leadership had no football people they went out and paid consultants like Ernie Acorsi and Bill Polian to fuck things up for them and then let coaching agent Trace Armstrong fleece them time and time again.
Getting Ben Johnson feels like a departure from that era. Somehow the Bears "made Johnson feel good".
The Bears managed to get the guy that everyone wanted. I was so beaten and battered by the Bears that I was leaning Vrabel because I thought he was McCaskey/Warren-proof. Getting Johnson in as an offensive head coach and tying him to Caleb does objectively make sense though. The Bears didn't make the mistakes they've always made. They weren't comically cheap. They managed to at least give the perception that they were a cohesive organization without a major power struggle to wade through. They also have a promising young quarterback. All things that have never happened in Chicago before. I think that is worth celebrating.
It does also appear that Ben Johnson has been given the green light and blank check to fill out his staff. Dennis Allen sounds like he is in. While he wasn't a great head coach, I love the idea that Johnson is bringing in a DC with head coaching experience to help him. I've seen the Lions OL coach discussed as the OC...like that too. Don't know anything about him, but give me an OL attitude to go with Ben Johnson pulling the strings.
I think it is okay to be happy with the hire, the hiring process, without necessarily being optimistic. Change was needed. The changes appear to be good. They got their guy.