While most Bear fans are wallowing in a great victory over the defending SB champs on Friday, I figure many of them are exhaling and looking for diversions that will keep them from household chores. Fantasy football and worrying about division rivals might keep some fans in front of their TVs today, but for others, today is a big nothing.

A local sports columnist gave credit to Bear coach, Ben Johnson but wondered if winning the Coach of the Year would be a good thing. Stating that most NFL coaches eventually get fired, he didn’t worry about that aspect, but rather if winning the award guarantees anything (but a fall from grace). Several Bears coaches have won the award with little to show for it and he even cited other recent winners-who never won spit and by that, I mean the Super Bowl.

While I’m of the belief that the Bears failures in recent decades have no bearing on the current team’s success or shortcomings, I realize it impacts how fans feel about the team. We can’t shake past failures even if the rosters and coaches are completely different. Furthermore, I’m not worried about what’s happened recently to other teams. Yet, I think it’s alright to look at other teams’ recent history as a warning.

Last season, the Lions, Vikings and their head coaches were the talk of the NFL. In my lifetime the two teams rarely had good seasons the same year. Last year, Detroit won the NFC North with a 15-2 record and Minnesota finished 14-3 and everyone believed both coaches, Dan Campbell and Kevin O’Connell’s poop doesn’t stink. Objectively speaking, both teams completely flopped in the playoffs-neither team won a game. Despite the hype, neither team met expectations and have zip to show for it. Flash forward a year and neither team is likely to make the postseason.

From a fan’s point of view, would you rather have last season’s success in your back pocket with nothing to show for it in the following year or would you rather build towards sustained success? I stole the phrase from Theo Epstein & Company-who (at least) produced one World Series.

At present, the Bears appear headed to the playoffs and a year or two ahead of schedule and their rookie head coach is very popular. I think most Bears fans are enjoying the ride and are dealing with rising expectations, but I wonder what they’ll worry about come February.

While on a grocery run, I caught a couple minutes of local sports talk radio and two opposing views on Bears QB, Caleb Williams. While I don’t out much weight in comments from fans that call into shows, I loved that their opinions couldn’t have been more different and absurd. Thankfully, neither guy offered up his credentials as a Bears fan (a curse of Chicago sports fans). Half empty v. Half full is as eternal as Quisp v. Quake.