Got into a conversation the other day about the Chicago football fan's desire to see some Fire and Passion from their head coach/defensive coordinator/quarterback/water boy/mascot.
It's always the No. 1 complaint about any Bears coach or player - they're not fiery enough...the fans don't see the fire...where is the passion!?
They hated Rex Grossman for not being Passionately involved with looking at pictures on the sidelines...they don't like Lovie Smith because he won't snap a facemask when someone does something stupid...they didn't like Bob Babich because his defense didn't have the fire...
In fact, my favorite meat head comment of all time was when the 2007 Bears would "wake up and smell the '85 defense!"
So why do we want this as fans?
I think it's because the only Super Bowl title in Chicago was won by Fire and Passion in the form of Mike Ditka and Buddy Ryan and some crazy linebackers that liked to bark like dogs. That was a great time and a great team, but that's not the ONLY way to win a Super Bowl. the problem is, it has been the only way a Chicago team has won one.
Honestly, I think if Dick Jauron had won a Super Bowl and then was followed by Lovie Smith, I don't think we'd hear as much about this Fire and Passion crap. And if the Bears had beaten the Colts a couple of years ago, we definitely wouldn't hear it.
Instead, all we hear about is how Ozzie Guillen and Kenny Williams have the Fire and the Passion, how Lou Pinella doesn't, and that's why the Sox won in 2005 (that and The Fire and The Passion, Aaron Freakin' Rowand who one sports talk caller said "single handedly won the World Series" because he made a couple of grindy diving catches that year).
Notice how no one ever brings up the Bulls dynasty in this Fire and Passion debate. While no one can doubt that Michael Jordan had the fire and passion, and that the team was full of grinders (John Paxson, Bobby Hansen, Cliff Levingston etc etc) those are teams widely left out of the discussion.
Perhaps its because they had the greatest player of all time, greatest coach of all time, and two other HOF players in Pippen and Rodman. Maybe they didn't need as much fire and passion as the Bears do...or Sox,...or Cubs....
In the end, while I love the Fire and Passion - it's pretty moronic. It's unnecessary. You don't need to drop your pants at halftime, assault an assistant coach, break your face on a wall, bleed all over everyone, flip a buffet table in the locker room or break a Gatorade machine.
It's not even really that fun to talk about because it is insanely stupid and has nothing to do with anything.
But, it's fun to blog about stupid people talking about it, so keep it up!
The Daily Dose is forever in your debt...
And - as a treat for all of you - here are some especially fiery video clips for your enjoyment
Rick Armstrong 
Jim Owczarski 
Mike Knapp 
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