Hey, maybe Congress, following Diane Feinstein’s example, can give the Chicago Bears hope tomorrow:
Durbin unveils legislation to start Griese at quarterback
Sen. Dick Durbin introduced legislation today aimed at blocking the Bears from starting Rex Grossman on Sunday by giving the United States Senat the right to vote on all coaching moves.
The measure, called the Bears Fan Protection Act, would require an exemption from common sense, which the United States legislature seeks to subvert instead of repealing entirely.
Durbin, a Democrat who has claimed to be a fan of the Bears, was furious last week when he learned that the current Bears starting quarterback had admitted to underpreparing for the season’s last game, a loss to the hated Green Bay Packers. Some fans had questioned Rex Grossman’s ability as a quarterback, given his stunning meltdowns in certain games this year.
“This legislation is designed to prevent coaches from inflicting suffering on fans, which leads to the financial and intangible costs of poor decisions,” Durbin said. “Our football teams are more than just businesses. They are a common denominator that cuts across class, race and gender to bond the people of a city. They are a key component of a city’s culture and identity. The city of broad shoulders should not tie its identity to a young, often injured quarterback prone to utter collapse when the pressure’s on. Instead, the city more properly reflects the spirit of a journeyman whose name looks a lot like ‘Grease’ and who’s probably somewhat rusty after a period of inactivity.”
As an alternative, giving other NFL teams the right to veto an individual coach’s decision at least give the government the ability to lobby NFL owners to do what it deems politically suitable for its constituents.
“We need to address the real costs imposed on communities by poor coaching that we have witnessed in the past 25 years,” Durbin said in offering his Bears Fan Protection Act.
