Rex Grossman, Like Jim McMahon, But Without The Sunglasses And Headband

We don't mean to imply that Bears fans can get a little crazy in their devotion to their team — they can, but they're usually not mean about it — but this sign, seen at Soldier Field yesterday, seems a bit much. We're amazed this actually stayed up, we really are.

Anyway, Da Bears are heading to their first Super Bowl in 22 years, and that's a long time anywhere, and an especially long time for fans as intense as Bears fans. The game was actually a little closer than the score looked — we swear, there was a brief moment in the first quarter when we thought the Saints looked considerably better than the Bears — but it was still definitive. Not that anyone's going to have any faith in him come Super Bowl Sunday anyway, but Rex Grossman did make some key passes, including four on the key drive that put the game away. We are not as down on Sexy Rexy as some others are — you really could have made an argument for him to make the Pro Bowl this year, though that's less because of him and more because the NFC quarterbacks stink — and though he's more likely to throw three interceptions in the Super Bowl than three touchdowns, you couldn't doubt him much in the second half yesterday.

(Though we did find it amusing that he kept wanting to run off the field in the first half, only to have coach Lovie Smith — who is GREAT FRIENDS with Tony Dungy — wave him back on.)

But the Bears are in the Super Bowl; it's all Midwest, baby, all the time. No matter what, someone's gonna need to make sure Tank Johnson is locked in his Miami hotel room.

Super Bowl Bound [Chicago Tribune]