The Super Bowl curse, which has damned the team losing the Super Bowl for the last several years, is alive and well in Chicago.  The defending NFC champion Bears dropped a 34-31 decision to the formerly pathetic Minnesota Vikings.  The Vikings literally ran the ball down the Bears throats all day long.  The Bears offense was non existent all day except for a Brian Griese touchdown pass to Bernard Barrien and a late toss in the fourth quarter.

The Bears had an opportunity to tie the game with two minutes left and took advantage of it.  Having to drive 81 yards, Griese hit Devin Hester in full stride tying the game at 31.  But it was not to be as Adrian Peterson, who embarrassed the defense all day long, almost ran the ensuing kick back for a touchdown.  Three plays later, Ryan Longwell (a former Fudge Packer) nailed a career best 55 yard field goal and it was "good night folks, please drive home safely time" at Soldier Field.

Sadly, if you removed Peterson and Hester from this game, it probably would have ended in a 0-0 tie.

With the Fudge Packers win over Washington, Green Bay maintains a three game lead over the 2-4 Bears, a margin from which the Bears may not be able to recover.  Unlike the Colorado Rockies who went from last place  to wild card contender in fourteen games, the Bears have only ten games left.  And if they can't beat the dregs of the NFL North, how exactly will they fare against the rest of their opponents?

The only guy happy about today's result not in a Viking uniform has to be former Bears starting quarterback Rex Grossman who probably figures he may get to play again soon as Brian Griese certainly is not the answer.  Former Bears running back Thomas Jones is probably snickering too, especially since there were whole series where Adrian Peterson gained more yards than Cedric Benson did all day long.  Not ready to surrender yet, Lovie?  You may have no choice soon.


Lightning Round

• Here's the mistake the Cincinnati Reds are making in hiring Johnnie B. Baker Jr.: Dusty Baker retards the growth of young players and prefers a veteran team.  If the Reds are planning on signing a whole bunch of free agents in the off season they may have a chance at success, but Baker is absolutely the worst guy in the world to have around young players.
• The new AP poll is a bit surprising.  LSU falling to fifth is fine, but USC dropping three more spots to 13 seemed kind of extreme to me as does USF at #2,  It seems that the writers have a thing for the underdog this year and are almost trying to make it play out the way they want to write it.  It's also clear that Michigan is back and that nobody takes Kansas or Hawaii seriously, which is correct, you shouldn't.
  
• Yankee fans may get what they've wanted all these years: George Steinbrenner might be ready to step aside.
• Welcome to Indiana, Kelvin Sampson, land of zero tolerance.  Not only are you paying a fine, but you are losing a scholarship.  Say what you want about Bob Knight's temper, but never once in his career did he violate an NCAA rule and set his program back.
• Looks like the Elderly Hillbilly actually has a dark side.  Of course, you don't throw that many picks if you don't take the chances.
• Man, aren't the Rockies playing out of their minds?  Imagine how the Cubs must feel.
• No wonder Notre Dame keeps losing.  Their players are pussies.  Get benched, quit the team.  That loud whirring sound you hear is Knute Rockne spinning in his grave.