Time is one of life’s great mysteries, and it has a habit of making (most of) us look like fools.
For instance, I’m old enough to remember the never-ending Caleb Williams hype train. Remember how all the smartest people in the room told us he was a “generational talent” and was the second coming of Aaron Rodgers or Patrick Mahomes?
The hype bordered on hysteria. One writer described him thusly: “Williams’ incredible ability to ad-lib and extend plays, creating positive and explosive gains for the offense when a negative outcome looks likely, is what draws the eyeballs and accolades. And deservedly so! Williams is simply excellent when throwing on the move, and he can attack any area of the football field and punish any defender who’s a step slow or an inch out of place.”
Oh, OK.
FS1’s Danny Perkins actually said, out loud and dead seriously, “He is already the best quarterback in Bears franchise history, and I am aware that he has played zero NFL games.” Of course, that’s ludicrous. Everyone (or at least, all of us Cheeseheads) know Smokin’ Jay Cutler is the best quarterback in Bears franchise history – though probably for different reasons than Bears fans would argue.
But back to the main point: The hype was insatiable and the fingernail-painting Free Spirit (or whatever) was going to finally roust the Bears from their 14-year hibernation.
Of course, that didn’t happen. Instead, what happened is more what Troy Aikman described on Monday Night Football.
RELATED:
Aikman Tells the Truth
The world’s worst and most annoying broadcast duo of Troy Aikman and Joe Buck were combined with the awful spectacle of Bears football, but out of the mess, we finally got some honesty about Caleb Williams.
The stats actually look decent, but don’t tell the same old sad tale about the Bears. Just a quick recap of the game – the Bears didn’t convert a third down until the 4th quarter. And then it never happened again. Williams lost a fumble, and was sacked twice. He completed 18/31 passes for 191 yards and a tuddy.
But the real tale of the game, and the Bears’ season, and the Bears’ decade, and the Bears’ franchise, was told by Aikman.
First, he told us, the viewers, that Williams said he was tired. (Is he trying to steal some of Smokin’ Jay’s thunder here? Everyone knows Smokin’ Jay is the most tired guy walking around right now.)
But the coup de grace was this bit, emphasis added:
“When you mentioned we were watching him on the sidelines, he was grimacing and in an enormous amount of pain. And as I watch him, you can tell that he’s a defeated guy. I mentioned that he hasn’t been through anything like this at any point in his career. What you worry about is a rookie quarterback losing confidence.”
Troy Aikman on a rough night and season for Caleb Williams.
"I was 0-11 as a starter and he's had a much better rookie season than I had."
"He was grimacing and in an enormous amount of pain. When you watch him, you can tell that he's a defeated guy." pic.twitter.com/Vv91cKVm9F
There’s three things to note here. First, Caleb Williams isn’t in anywhere near the same amount of pain he and his pals have put Bears fans through. Second, there is a direct and inverse relationship between Bears’ pain and Packers’ pleasure. We’re getting the good end of the bargain here.
Third, what Aikman was really trying to do was slow down the haters – referencing the awful rookie seasons of legends like himself (he went 0-11), and Peyton Manning (famously went 3-13).
And really, even I can’t hate too much on Caleb Williams. Look at the ridiculous meat grinder they threw him into. They fired his coach his rookie season! Frankly, NFL owners should get together and create a new rule barring the Bears from first overall picks.
So let’s jump back to the very first thing. Time can make a fool of all of us.
Except me. Caleb Williams is a bum, and will be so long as he’s stuck with the Spare Bears. You saw it here first.
So finally, a plea. Don’t do it, Bears. Let the poor kid go. If he really has as much talent as the sycophants say, don’t ruin the poor kid’s career. Let him go play football for a professional team.
