No News is Good News for the Chicago Bears

We should be at a relative lull for news regarding the Chicago Bears, and that is actually a good thing. Fans should hope it stays that way. To make my case, I went back over recent history to find a couple of offseasons when we were hearing a little too much about the Bears. Obviously, many teams have faced even bigger scandals, but just in the last ten years the Bears themselves have had more than one summer with just a bit too much drama.

2007: The Lamborghini (Honorable Mention)

In August of 2007, Lance Briggs was cited with leaving the scene of an accident after crashing his Lamborghini on I-94. While nobody was injured, it was a distraction that lingered in the minds of fans around here. In fact, when his contract became an issue at the end of the season, this issue (and his handling of it) added to some calling for him to be left to find another team.

2008: Benson falls short of a trifecta (#3)

The next year, Cedric Benson (the fourth overall pick in the 2005 draft) managed to get arrested for boating while intoxicated and driving while intoxicated. Had he only had a pilot's license (or access to a plane), he might have managed to be charged with operating machinery in land, sea, and air while under the influence. Between his lackluster production for the Bears and the unneeded drama, the Bears released him.

2011: the Hall of Fame Game is canceled (#2)

Obviously, the talk of the 2011 off-season was the lockout. Before that, there was a bit of drama surrounding the 2011 draft. However,  those were not the only reasons to regret the 2011 off-season. To me, one of the real losses was the cancellation of the 2011 Hall of Fame Game between the Chicago Bears and the then-St. Louis Rams. This would not have been the biggest deal in the world, but it still would have been nice to see the Navy and Orange on the field to celebrate the well-deserved induction of Richard Dent.

2013: Trestman is hired and a legend retires (#1)

The 2013 off-season saw hopes soar as fans tried to to convince themselves that the man from Canada was going to help the Bears turn it around. However, there was one bit of off-season news was both expected and franchise-changing. In 2013, the Chicago Bears saw the true face of the franchise retire. Urlacher had lost a step. A new coach was coming in. There were a lot of reasons why it made sense. It was probably the right decision for all involved. However, the first off-season without  Urlacher was also a little hollow to more than one Bears fan.

So, what are your picks for off-season stories you are hopeful we won't repeat soon?